Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
Soft 4-7-8 breath (4 · 4 · 8) for days when everything is too much, when you are at home and cannot settle
The pattern is 4 · 4 · 8, which is the hold cut short, the long exhale kept.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 4 in, hold for 4, 8 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. Being at home and unable to settle is a very specific problem. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Because the exhale is long, the next inhale usually arrives on its own, without you having to pull for it.
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 kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- 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.