Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
Soft 4-7-8 breathing exercise for coming down after exercise — when you are short on time
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
The ratio is 4 in, hold for 4, 8 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. Pick this one when you are short on time. Stay with what you can actually feel.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 160 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you walk into a room full of people
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- 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 Tight box breathing: 12 rounds for the commute, when you have been putting it off, How to use Box breathing for a reset, when you are waiting for something or How to use Uneven box breathing for the morning, if you are fitting this around other people.