Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
Soft 4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 4 · 8 — for the hours after people leave, if you are sceptical about all of this
Rounds of 4 · 4 · 8, with the counting done for you.
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. Scepticism is welcome. You do not have to believe anything for this to work. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
Long exhales give the diaphragm a slow, full range of movement, which is why the shoulders often drop on their own.
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
- while you are waiting for something to start
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- 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 4-2-6 breathing for a night shift, when you are short on time, Coherent 6-6 breathing for a hospital waiting room, when nothing else has worked today or How to use 2-1-4 breathing for a hard week, if you have five quiet minutes.