Breathing exercise · 7 · 11
7-11 breath (7 · 11) for the morning, when you have more time than usual
A a long, slow ratio for when you have time pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Take 7 counts to breathe in, and 11 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. This is the longer version, for a day with some slack in it. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
It is hard to stay braced against something while breathing out slowly. The two do not sit well together.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 7s | 0s |
| Exhale | 11s | 7s |
One round is 18 seconds. At the default 4 rounds this practice runs 72 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
Tips
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- Nothing is held here, so there is no moment where you are waiting for permission to breathe.
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 How to use 7-11 breathing for a break at work, when you have tried everything else, How to use 5-7 breathing for anxious moments, when you have been on screens all day or How to use Physiological sigh for the early months, when the weather has kept you inside.