Breathing exercise · 3 · 8
Double-inhale sigh — 3 · 8 — for a hospital waiting room, if you are fitting this around other people
Simple counts — 3 · 8 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Stack a small second inhale on top of the first, then let it all go through your mouth. It is designed to fit around other people’s schedules. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
A sigh is something your body already does on its own when it needs to reset. This just does it deliberately.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Exhale | 8s | 3s |
One round is 11 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 110 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- There are no holds in this one, which makes it a good choice if breath-holding makes you anxious.
Please note
The double inhale is gentle, but if you feel lightheaded, reduce it to a single inhale and a long exhale. Stop if you feel dizzy. If you have a heart or lung condition, check with a doctor before starting a new breathing practice.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Coherent 6-6 breathing for the middle of the night, if you are doing this in the middle of the day, Beginner box breathing for the middle of the night, when you are waiting for something or 5-2-7 breathing: 12 rounds for a hard week, after a difficult conversation.