Breathing exercise · 5 · 2 · 7
How to use 5-2-7 breathing for travel days, when you have been meaning to start
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. You have been meaning to start. This is the least intimidating way in. Let the physical world hold your attention.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 70 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
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
Tips
- Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
- Set a timer for the rounds you want, so you are not watching the clock.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
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 6-2-6-2 breathing — 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 — for exam nerves, when your attention is scattered, Coherent 6-6 breathing exercise for heavy days — when nothing else has worked today or 4-6 breathing for a study session, when the weather has kept you inside.