Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 8
Soft 4-7-8 breathing for days when everything is too much, when you need something unremarkable
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
Take 4 counts to breathe in, hold for 4, and 8 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. Nothing dramatic happens here, and that is deliberate. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
You can keep the in-breath completely ordinary. Only the out-breath needs to be longer.
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 8 rounds this practice runs 128 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- Set a timer for the rounds you want, so you are not watching the clock.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- 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 How to use Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing for the morning, Coherent 4-4 breathing: 12 rounds or Coherent 5-5 breathing exercise for a stolen moment of caregiving — if you have five quiet minutes.