Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
How to use 4-7-8 breathing for deep focus, when you are on your own
4 · 7 · 8 breathing: in for four, hold for seven, out for eight.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, hold for 7, out for 8. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Being on your own is not required, but it does make this simpler. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
The ratio matters more than the depth. Shallow but long beats deep and rushed.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 7s | 4s |
| Exhale | 8s | 11s |
One round is 19 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 95 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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 Tight box breathing — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — for the morning after, when you are short on time, 5-2-7 breathing: 12 rounds for the hours after people leave, when you want to be left alone or 5-7 breathing exercise for a hard conversation — when you are short on time.