Breathing exercise · 7 · 11
7-11 breath (7 · 11) for the commute, if you have done this a hundred times
Simple counts — 7 · 11 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 7 in, 11 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. If you have done this a hundred times, change one small thing tonight. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
Long exhales give the diaphragm a slow, full range of movement, which is why the shoulders often drop on their own.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 7s | 0s |
| Exhale | 11s | 7s |
One round is 18 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 216 seconds — about 3 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you walk into a room full of people
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- There are no holds in this one, which makes it a good choice if breath-holding makes you anxious.
Please note
If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Soft 4-7-8 breath (4 · 4 · 8) for days when everything is too much, when you are at home and cannot settle, How to use 3-5-7 breathing for Friday evening, when you are somewhere unfamiliar or How to use Physiological sigh for a break at work, when you are somewhere unfamiliar.