Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
How to use Soft 4-7-8 breathing for exam nerves, if you are fitting this around other people
A the hold cut short, the long exhale kept pattern, counted for you on screen.
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. It is designed to fit around other people’s schedules. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
Long exhales are easy to do quietly, at a desk, in a queue, without anyone noticing.
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 4 rounds this practice runs 64 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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 Double-inhale sigh breathing for exam nerves, if you are sceptical about all of this, Quick 2-1-2-1 breath (2 · 1 · 2 · 1) for a hard conversation, when you are waiting for something or How to use Gentle box breathing for bedtime, when you have been on screens all day.