4-7-8 breathing

what is 4-7-8 breathing?

4-7-8 is a breathing pattern where you breathe in for a count of four, hold for seven and breathe out for eight. the out-breath is twice as long as the in-breath, so each round takes nineteen seconds. it was popularized by the physician Andrew Weil, who teaches it with a slow out-breath through the mouth.

how does the guide pace it?

the circle grows for four seconds while you breathe in, stays still for seven while you hold, and shrinks for eight while you breathe out. the label and the countdown in the middle tell you which step you are on, and the counter shows how many rounds you have finished. on the main breathing page this same pattern is the one labelled calm.

how is it different from box breathing?

box breathing keeps every step the same length. 4-7-8 is lopsided on purpose, with a long hold and an even longer out-breath. some people find that slower rhythm better for winding down at the end of a day, while box breathing feels easier to do with your eyes open at a desk.

what if seven seconds is too long to hold?

go gently. the counts matter more as a ratio than as exact seconds, so if holding for seven is uncomfortable, use the custom pattern on the main breathing page with shorter steps in the same proportions. if you feel light-headed, stop and breathe normally. a few rounds is plenty to start with, and this is a pacing guide, not medical advice.