Breathing exercise · 7 · 11
7-11 breathing: 8 rounds for a long wait, after a difficult conversation
The pattern is 7 · 11, which is a long, slow ratio for when you have time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 7, out for 11. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Difficult conversations leave a residue. This is for the residue. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
You are not emptying your lungs, just taking longer to do it. The extra seconds are where the effect lives.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 7s | 0s |
| Exhale | 11s | 7s |
One round is 18 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 144 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
Tips
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
- 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 Soft 4-7-8 breath (4 · 4 · 8) for exam nerves, Beginner box breath for a hard conversation or How to use 3-6 breathing for Monday morning.