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4-7-8 breathing: how to do it, with a guided pacer

In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. The out-breath is twice as long as the in-breath, which slows the whole cycle to under four breaths a minute.

Practise with the pacer

How to do it

  1. Sit or lie comfortably. Breathe in quietly through your nose for four counts.
  2. Hold for seven, without straining. Breathe out slowly through your mouth for eight, as if cooling soup.
  3. Start with three or four rounds, then build up. The counts matter less than the ratio: if seven and eight are too long, halve all three numbers and keep the same shape.

What the research says

The pattern was popularised by Dr Andrew Weil. We have not found trials of this exact ratio, so we make no claim for it beyond the general picture: slow, controlled breathing with a long out-breath is widely taught for calming down, and the NHS recommends slowing the breath this way for stress.

Systematic reviews of slow breathing in general link it with measurable changes in heart rate and heart rate variability (Laborde et al., 2022).

Take care. The long hold can feel strong. Stop if you feel dizzy or breathless, shorten the counts, and breathe normally between rounds. Take advice first if you have a breathing or heart condition or are pregnant.

Sources

info@meditationguide.infoNot medical advice. Stop if you feel dizzy.Photo credits