Breathing exercise · 7 · 11
7-11 breathing: 12 rounds for jet lag, if you have five quiet minutes
A 7 · 11 rhythm — a long, slow ratio for when you have time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 7, then let the breath go for 11 counts. Five quiet minutes is enough. Ten is generous. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
Most people find the out-breath easier to lengthen than the in-breath. This uses that.
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
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
- when the weather has been grey for a week
Tips
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- 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 Physiological sigh breathing exercise for a study session — after a long day, Gentle box breathing for the end of the working day, when you have just finished work or 3-6 breathing for a long illness, when you have more time than usual.