How to do 4-7-8 breathing here
Sit with your back straight, or lie down, and rest the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth. First breathe out completely through your mouth with a whoosh. Then press Start, and after the three-second “Get ready”:
- Breathe in quietly through your nose while the orb grows, for a count of 4.
- Hold your breath while the orb stays full, for a count of 7.
- Breathe out through your mouth with a whoosh while the orb shrinks, for a count of 8.
That is one breath. The page runs four of them, the number Andrew Weil suggests to start with, and rings a bowl when they are done.
The ratio matters more than the seconds
The out-breath is twice as long as the in-breath, and the hold sits in between. Weil stresses that the speed of the count is up to you. At the default pace one breath takes 19 seconds, which some people find slow, especially at first. The Pace slider shortens or lengthens every step together, so 4-7-8 stays 4-7-8. The Wave animation is handy here: it draws the long flat hold and the long slope of the exhale ahead of time, so you see what is coming.
Tips
Breathe in quietly and gently; the whoosh belongs only to the out-breath. If you feel light-headed, stop and breathe normally. Many people use four rounds of 4-7-8 as a short routine at bedtime or during a break. The sound cues let you follow along with your eyes closed.
4-7-8 breathing, step by step
| Step | Seconds |
|---|---|
| 1. Breathe in | 4 |
| 2. Hold | 7 |
| 3. Breathe out | 8 |
| One breath | 19 |
That is 3.2 breaths a minute at the default pace. The Pace slider stretches or shortens every step by the same amount, so the rhythm stays the same. For other patterns, or your own counts, open the full breathing exercise.