Breathing exercise · 3 · 8
Double-inhale sigh exercise for exam nerves — when you need something unremarkable
A two inhales stacked together, then everything out through the mouth pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Fill your lungs, add one more small sip of air, then exhale for 8 counts through the mouth. Nothing dramatic happens here, and that is deliberate. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
The long release through the mouth is where the relief comes from, and it usually arrives quickly.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Exhale | 8s | 3s |
One round is 11 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 55 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- before you walk into a room full of people
Tips
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- Because there is no pause, you can keep this going while walking or talking.
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 4-2-6 breathing exercise for a ten-minute window — when you want to be left alone, How to use Coherent 4-4 breathing for a reset, when you want to finish something or 5-7 breathing exercise for jet lag — when you have been meaning to start.