The 4-7-8 breathing exercise is one of my favorite tools to share with students. It is simple, it is free, and you can do it anywhere. No mat required.
It works like a natural calmer for your nervous system. Use it when you feel tension rising. Use it before you react to something upsetting. Use it to help you drift off to sleep.
It is called the 4-7-8 breath, and it works like a natural calmer for your nervous system. Use it when you feel tension rising. Use it before you react to something upsetting. Use it to help you drift off to sleep.
Here is a fun fact. We breathe about 20,000 times a day, yet most of us never give it a second thought. When you slow your breath down on purpose, your whole body gets the message that it is safe to relax.
Give it a try below. Just one minute can shift your whole mood.
What Is the 4-7-8 Breath?
The 4-7-8 breathing exercise is utterly simple. It takes almost no time, requires no equipment, and can be done anywhere.
You can do it in any position. While you are learning, sit with your back straight. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth. Keep it there through the whole exercise. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue. Purse your lips slightly if that feels awkward.
How to Do 4-7-8 Breathing
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
- Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of 4.
- Hold your breath for a count of 7.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of 8.
- This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times, for a total of four breaths.
Always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in place the whole time. Your exhale takes twice as long as your inhale.
The exact time does not matter. The ratio of 4:7:8 is what matters. If holding your breath feels hard, speed the whole thing up but keep that ratio. With practice you can slow it down and breathe more deeply each time.
Why This Breath Works
This exercise is a natural tranquilizer for your nervous system. Tranquilizing drugs often work at first and then lose their power. This breath is the opposite. It feels subtle at first and grows stronger with practice.
Do it at least twice a day. You cannot do it too often. For the first month, do not do more than four breaths at a time. After that you can build up to eight breaths if you like. If you feel a little lightheaded at first, do not worry. It passes.
Make It a Daily Habit
Once this becomes part of your day, it turns into a tool you carry everywhere. Use it whenever something upsetting happens, before you react. Use it whenever you feel tension rising. Use it to help you fall asleep.
Everyone can benefit from it. I hope it brings you a little calm today.
If you enjoy gentle practices like this one, you will love my live online classes for adults 50 and over. Come join us!
Thank you to Dr. Andrew Weil for breathing techniques.
If this kind of simple, practical tool speaks to you, you’ll love my free 3 Happiness Tips video. It is three small things you can do to feel calmer and brighter, and I will send it straight to your inbox.