4-7-8 Breathing

Breathe in through your nose for 4, hold for 7, and breathe out through your mouth for 8, while a dot travels around the circle. Start with 4 cycles, about a minute.

4-7-8 Breathing timer

Ready 4 4-7-8 · press Start
Round 1 0:00

The session keeps going if you open another page; pause or end it from the player at the bottom of the screen.

Pattern (seconds)
Length
Guide

Listen as an audio session (1:26)

In 4 · Hold 7 · Out 8 for about 1 minute, with the same voice as the timer, as one recording: press play and close your eyes.

Download MP3 (0.7 MB)

How to do 4-7-8 breathing

4-7-8 breathing means inhaling through your nose for 4, holding for 7, and exhaling through your mouth for 8. Start with 4 cycles, about a minute. If the hold is too long, keep the ratio with shorter counts, such as 2-3.5-4. Evidence for sleep is limited. Skip it during a panic moment or if breath holds need your doctor's okay.

  1. Sit up or lie down, and rest the tip of your tongue just behind your upper front teeth.
  2. Breathe out fully through your mouth with a soft whoosh.
  3. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose for a count of 4.
  4. Hold your breath gently for a count of 7, without straining.
  5. Exhale through your mouth for a count of 8, with the same soft whoosh.
  6. Repeat for 3 more cycles, 4 in total, which takes about a minute.

How to use this timer

  • Start with "1 min", which ends after 4 cycles, the number Cleveland Clinic suggests to begin with. Do more only if it stays comfortable.
  • The ratio matters more than the exact seconds. If the 7-second hold is a strain, pick 2-3.5-4. If any hold is uncomfortable, "No hold" keeps the long exhale.
  • Sit or lie down. Beginners may feel a little lightheaded at first.
  • The voice and the mini player keep going if you open another page. Pause or end the session from the player at the bottom of the screen.

When to use it

  • In bed, as part of winding down (it is a wind-down habit, not a sleep treatment).
  • At the end of a stressful day, when you want a slower rhythm.
  • When you want a set number of rounds: 4 cycles take about a minute.

Go easy, or ask your doctor first, if

  • During a panic moment (long holds can feel like air hunger)
  • Pregnancy (ask your provider before breath holding)
  • Uncontrolled high blood pressure or a heart condition (ask your doctor first)
  • Epilepsy or panic disorder (ask your doctor first)
  • Recent chest, abdominal or eye surgery

Stop and breathe normally if you feel dizzy, short of breath or anxious.

Questions

How many times should I do 4-7-8 breathing?

Cleveland Clinic suggests 4 cycles when you start, which takes about a minute. The "1 min" length on this timer ends after the fourth cycle.

Does 4-7-8 breathing help you fall asleep?

Not proven. A small 2022 lab study found heart rate and systolic blood pressure dropped right after 4-7-8 breathing in healthy young adults, but it did not measure sleep. NCCIH says relaxation techniques on their own are not especially promising for insomnia. Treat it as a wind-down habit.

What if I can't hold my breath for 7 seconds?

Use shorter counts with the same ratio, such as 2-3.5-4. If breath holding is uncomfortable at all, choose "No hold" and keep the long exhale.

Why breathe out through the mouth?

That is how the technique is usually taught: a soft "whoosh", with the tip of the tongue resting behind the upper front teeth. If that is uncomfortable, breathing out through your nose for the same count is fine.

Does the timer work with my eyes closed?

Yes. With the voice on, it calls each step and softly counts the seconds, so you don't need to watch the screen. Choose "Tone" for a short sound instead, or "Silent" to follow the shape only.

Sources

  1. Cleveland Clinic: How To Do the 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise (opens in a new tab)
  2. Vierra et al., Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults (Physiological Reports, 2022) (opens in a new tab)
  3. NCCIH: Relaxation Techniques: What You Need To Know (opens in a new tab)