Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
Soft 4-7-8 breathing for a grey day, before something difficult
4 · 4 · 8 breathing: 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. It works best in the hour before something difficult. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
The extra seconds on the way out give your body a longer signal that nothing is chasing you.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- while you are waiting for something to start
Tips
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- 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 3-5-7 breathing — 3 · 5 · 7 — for a grey day, when you want to finish something, How to use 6-2-6-2 breathing for Sunday evening, when you are on your own or 6-2-6-2 breathing — 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 — for a big decision, before you go back to something hard.