Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
Soft 4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 4 · 8 — for the end of the working day, when you have just finished work
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. The gap right after work is the easiest one to use. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
The hold, where there is one, is short. The work is in the length of the release, not the pause.
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
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- before you walk into a room full of people
Tips
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
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.