Breathing exercise · 7 · 11
How to use 7-11 breathing for bedtime, after a difficult conversation
7 · 11 breathing: a long, slow ratio for when you have time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 7 in, 11 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. Difficult conversations leave a residue. This is for the residue. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
The ratio slows the whole breath cycle without requiring you to breathe deeply.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 7s | 0s |
| Exhale | 11s | 7s |
One round is 18 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 90 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
- just before you have to say something difficult
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- Nothing is held here, so there is no moment where you are waiting for permission to breathe.
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 — 4 · 4 · 8 — for a long wait, when you are somewhere noisy, Double-inhale sigh: 8 rounds for a break at work, when the weather has kept you inside or Gentle box breath (3 · 3 · 3 · 3) for a ten-minute window, when you have woken up too early.