Breathing exercise · 5 · 2 · 7
How to use 5-2-7 breathing for Sunday evening, when you want to be left alone
A 5 · 2 · 7 rhythm — five, a brief hold, then seven out.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 5, hold for 2, out for 7. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Nothing here asks anything of you socially. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
The hold, where there is one, is short. The work is in the length of the release, not the pause.
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 6 rounds this practice runs 84 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- 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.