Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
Soft 4-7-8 breath (4 · 4 · 8) for heavy days, after eating too much
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
The ratio is 4 in, hold for 4, 8 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. Do this sitting up, not lying down, if you have just eaten. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
If you are feeling revved up, this is one of the fastest honest ways to take the edge off without pretending.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
Tips
- Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.
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 Uneven box breathing: 10 rounds for a stolen moment of caregiving, when you are on your own, 2-1-4 breathing — 2 · 1 · 4 — for the early months, when nothing else has worked today or Tight box breathing — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — for a long illness, before something difficult.