Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
Soft 4-7-8 breathing: 4 rounds for a hospital waiting room, when you are doing this for the first time
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. If this is your first go, stay with the plainest version of the instructions. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
It is hard to stay braced against something while breathing out slowly. The two do not sit well together.
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 day has been fine but you still feel braced
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
Tips
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Slow box breathing — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — for coming down after exercise, if you are new to this, How to use Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing for creative work, when you have just finished work or 4-6 breath (4 · 6) for heated moments, if you have done this a hundred times.