Breathing exercise · 7 · 11
7-11 breathing: 5 rounds for a hard week
Simple counts — 7 · 11 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Do this sitting up, not lying down, if you have just eaten. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
You can keep the in-breath completely ordinary. Only the out-breath needs to be longer.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 7s | 0s |
| Exhale | 11s | 7s |
One round is 18 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 90 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- No holds means no buildup. The rhythm does all the work.
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 exercise for a long illness, 3-5-7 breathing: 12 rounds or How to use 2-1-4 breathing.