Breathing exercise · 7 · 11
7-11 breathing: 4 rounds for the morning after, if you are doing this in the middle of the day
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. Midday is an underrated time for this. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
This ratio is used a lot before sleep, because a long exhale is what your breathing already does as you fall asleep.
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
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- Because there is no pause, you can keep this going while walking or talking.
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 Physiological sigh for Friday evening, when you have been on screens all day, 3-5-7 breathing for a hospital waiting room, if you are fitting this around other people or Coherent 6-6 breathing for Sunday evening, when the weather has kept you inside.