Breathing exercise · 7 · 11
7-11 breathing exercise for travel days — when you have just finished work
7 · 11 breathing: 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. The gap right after work is the easiest one to use. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
If you are feeling revved up, this is one of the fastest honest ways to take the edge off without pretending.
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
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- 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 Beginner box breathing exercise for a noisy room — when the house is busy, 4-7-8 breathing exercise for a reset — when the house is busy or Uneven box breathing: 10 rounds for a stolen moment of caregiving, when you are on your own.