4-7-8 Breathing: The How And Why

I’ve a task for you today, friend: I want you to breathe. Specifically, I want you to utilise this 4-7-8 breath technique to help you feel, well, a bit better.

I know I know, you’re already breathing. You’ve been doing it for years. You’re pretty great at it.

Have you, though? And are you?

Breathing is, thankfully, a subconscious, automatic process in our bodies. But, it’s actually one of the only ones we can take conscious control of. And when we do? Well, improving lung capacity and incorporating breathing exercises into our everyday can seriously improve our health (just read this TED article to be convinced).

How to practice 4-7-8 breath

Get settled somewhere comfy. Maybe lying down, maybe in a chair. It doesn’t matter.

Read the following through once so you get the gist, then follow the instructions (make sure to take it easy at first and stop if you’re feeling light-headed):

I want you to breathe in for a count of 4 as if your diaphragm isn’t just a flat up-and-down thing, but a balloon in your ribs. Inflate it out in all directions.

BREATHE IN – 1, 2, 3, 4.

Then, can you hold the breath for a count of 7 without tensing, without clenching your teeth or screwing your shoulders up to your ears?

HOLD – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Now, breathe out. Sloooowwwwlllly. For a full count of 8. Let that balloon deflate.

BREATHE OUT – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

And repeat for 4 or 5 rounds or just until you feel better.

The benefits

This 4-7-8 breath technique has been shown to help with:

• Sleep – falling asleep and staying there
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Impulse control – things like anger responses and managing cravings

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