Breathing exercise · 4 · 7 · 8
How to use 4-7-8 breathing for the middle of the night, before something difficult
A in for four, hold for seven, out for eight pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Take 4 counts to breathe in, hold for 7, and 8 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. It works best in the hour before something difficult. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
You can keep the in-breath completely ordinary. Only the out-breath needs to be longer.
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 8 rounds this practice runs 152 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
Tips
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.
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.