Breathing exercise · 4 · 8
How to use 4-8 breathing for anxious moments, when you are not sure this will work
Simple counts — 4 · 8 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, out for 8. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Not being sure it will work is a perfectly good reason to try it once. Let the physical world hold your attention.
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 |
| Exhale | 8s | 4s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
- Because there is no pause, you can keep this going while walking or talking.
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 breath (4 · 1 · 4 · 1) for a reset, when you are not in the mood, 3-6 breathing — 3 · 6 — for the morning after, when you are doing this for the first time or How to use Slow box breathing for the morning after, if you are fitting this around other people.