Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
Soft 4-7-8 breathing for a hard week, when you are short on time
A the hold cut short, the long exhale kept pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 4. Then out for 8, slowly, without pushing. Pick this one when you are short on time. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
Because it is one-directional, there is less to remember than with a hold. That makes it easier to keep going.
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 weather has been grey for a week
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- 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 Physiological sigh: 10 rounds for travel days, on a low-energy afternoon, Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing — 2 · 1 · 2 · 1 — for a cold morning, when you have woken up too early or Gentle box breathing: 6 rounds for a long wait, when you have been on screens all day.