Breathing exercise · 3 · 5 · 7
How to use 3-5-7 breathing
A a staircase down: three, five, seven pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in through your nose for 3 counts, hold for 5. Then out for 7, slowly, without pushing. A day that started badly does not have to stay that way. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
This ratio is used a lot before sleep, because a long exhale is what your breathing already does as you fall asleep.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Hold | 5s | 3s |
| Exhale | 7s | 8s |
One round is 15 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- before you walk into a room full of people
- when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
Tips
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- It is fine to breathe through your mouth if your nose is blocked. Nose is usually easier.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
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 How to use Uneven box breathing for the morning, Double-inhale sigh breath for anxious moments or 4-2-6 breathing on a low-energy afternoon.