Breathing exercise · 4 · 8
How to use 4-8 breathing for Sunday evening, when you are cold and want to be warm
Rounds of 4 · 8, with the counting done for you.
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. Get a blanket first. Being cold defeats the point. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
Doubling the exhale changes the ratio your body uses to decide how safe it is.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 8s | 4s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 144 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
Tips
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- 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 Soft 4-7-8 breathing for a stolen moment of caregiving, on a low-energy afternoon, 3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for a cold morning, when you have been on screens all day or How to use 2-1-4 breathing for heated moments, before something difficult.