Breathing exercise · 7 · 11
7-11 breathing exercise for the morning after — if you are tired of apps
Simple counts — 7 · 11 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 7, then let the breath go for 11 counts. No account, no streak, no notification asking how you feel. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
The hold, where there is one, is short. The work is in the length of the release, not the pause.
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
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
Tips
- Set a timer for the rounds you want, so you are not watching the clock.
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- There are no holds in this one, which makes it a good choice if breath-holding makes you anxious.
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 2-1-4 breathing for Sunday evening, when you are doing this for the first time, Slow box breathing — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — for the middle of the night, when you cannot concentrate on anything else or 3-5-7 breathing exercise for the middle of the night — when you are somewhere unfamiliar.