Breathing exercise · 5 · 2 · 7
How to use 5-2-7 breathing for bedtime, if you are tired of apps
The pattern is 5 · 2 · 7, which is five, a brief hold, then seven out.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Take 5 counts to breathe in, hold for 2, and 7 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. No account, no streak, no notification asking how you feel. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
You are not emptying your lungs, just taking longer to do it. The extra seconds are where the effect lives.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 5s | 0s |
| Hold | 2s | 5s |
| Exhale | 7s | 7s |
One round is 14 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 168 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- while you are waiting for something to start
- when the afternoon has gone flat
Tips
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- 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.