Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
Soft 4-7-8 breathing exercise for anxious moments
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
In for 4, hold for 4, out for 8. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Difficult conversations leave a residue. This is for the residue. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
The ratio slows the whole breath cycle without requiring you to breathe deeply.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 192 seconds — about 3 minutes — 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 notice your shoulders are up near your ears
- just before you have to say something difficult
Tips
- Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- 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 Slow box breathing exercise for jet lag, 6-2-6-2 breathing after eating too much or Coherent 6-6 breathing exercise for a break.