Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
How to use Soft 4-7-8 breathing for a ten-minute window, if you are doing this instead of scrolling
A 4 · 4 · 8 rhythm — the hold cut short, the long exhale kept.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, hold for 4, out for 8. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Choosing this over scrolling counts as a good decision, even a small one. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
The exhale is doing the counting for you, which means you have less attention left over to worry with.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 4s | 4s |
| Exhale | 8s | 8s |
One round is 16 seconds. At the default 6 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
Tips
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- 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 5-2-7 breathing for days when everything is too much, if you are doing this instead of scrolling, 4-8 breath (4 · 8) for physical discomfort, when you want to be left alone or 2-1-4 breathing — 2 · 1 · 4 — for a break at work, when you are short on time.