How do you do 4-7-8 breathing?

You do not need to count in seconds. Cleveland Clinic says to pick a pace that works for you. The ratio of 4, 7 and 8 stays the same. If you feel lightheaded at the start, use a faster count.

How do you do 4-7-8 breathing? The Short Answer

Step	What to do	Count
1	Put the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth	Keep it there
2	Breathe out fully through your mouth, with a whoosh sound	Once
3	Close your lips and breathe in through your nose	4
4	Hold your breath gently	7
5	Breathe out through your mouth, with a whoosh sound	8
6	Do steps 3 to 5 three more times	4 cycles in total

Practise this 2 times a day. Use the timer on this page to follow the 4, 7 and 8 counts.

The steps in detail

Cleveland Clinic gives the steps from integrative medicine specialist Dr. Melissa Young. The method came into wide use through Dr. Andrew Weil, and it has roots in pranayama, the yoga practice of breath control.

1. Get into position. You can do it in any position. Dr. Weil recommends that you sit with your back straight. If you use it to help you fall asleep, you can lie in bed.
2. Put your tongue in place. Touch the tip of your tongue to the back of your top front teeth. Keep it there for the full exercise.
3. Breathe out first. Dr. Young says that it is best to start any breathing technique with an exhale. Let the air out through your lips with a whoosh sound.
4. Breathe in for 4. Close your mouth. Breathe in through your nose and count to 4 in your mind. Do not count too slowly or too quickly.
5. Hold for 7. Hold your breath gently and count to 7. Do not strain.
6. Breathe out for 8. Breathe out slowly through your mouth for 8 counts. Keep your lips a little pursed around your tongue. You hear the whoosh sound again.
7. Repeat. That is one cycle. Do steps 4 to 6 three more times.

Four cycles take a little over one minute at a pace of one count per second. That is a short exercise. The habit matters more than the length of one session.

What 4-7-8 breathing can and cannot do

4-7-8 breathing is a calm-down tool, not a treatment. Cleveland Clinic says that the counting gives your mind something to focus on other than your worries. Dr. Young says that breathing techniques like this one can help you activate your parasympathetic nervous system. This is the part of the nervous system that helps you calm down after stress.

Cleveland Clinic also says that 4-7-8 breathing has been shown to decrease heart rate and blood pressure. The page does not name a study. NCCIH describes the “relaxation response” as slower breathing, lower blood pressure and a lower heart rate. NCCIH reports that a 2019 review found a modest drop in blood pressure from slow breathing exercises. The studies in that review were short and had a high risk of bias.

Be careful with bigger claims. Some websites say that 4-7-8 breathing makes you fall asleep in 60 seconds. We found no primary source that states this. If you have high blood pressure, follow the plan from your doctor. Breathing exercises do not replace it.

4-7-8 breathing and sleep

Many people use 4-7-8 breathing in bed. Cleveland Clinic says that you can do it lying down when you use it to fall asleep. It says that a calm mind and less anxiety can help you get a good night’s sleep.

The evidence for sleep is limited. NCCIH says that relaxation techniques on their own “don’t seem to be especially promising for sleep”. NCCIH reports that the American College of Physicians strongly recommends cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) as the first treatment for chronic insomnia.

Use 4-7-8 breathing as one part of a bedtime routine. NHS Every Mind Matters lists breathing exercises as one way to relax before bed. It also tells you to keep a regular sleep routine and to stop using screens for an hour before bed. If you are still awake after about 20 minutes, the NHS says to get up and do a quiet activity. Go back to bed when you feel sleepy.

The NHS says to see a GP if you have had trouble sleeping for months. Also see a GP if changes to your sleep habits have not helped, or if insomnia makes it hard to cope with daily life.

Tips and common mistakes

• Do not force the hold. Cleveland Clinic says to hold your breath gently, without strain. If 7 counts feel too long, count faster.
• Expect some lightheadedness at first. Cleveland Clinic says that you can feel a little lightheaded or short of breath when you start. This comes from breathing more slowly than you are used to. Stop and breathe normally if it continues.
• Practise when you are calm. Dr. Young says that regular practice, when you are not stressed, teaches your body to use the technique as a stress response.
• Pick two fixed times. Cleveland Clinic suggests two set moments each day, for example when you wake up and before bed. A fixed time makes the habit easier to keep.
• Try a simpler pattern if 4-7-8 does not suit you. The NHS gives a simpler exercise for stress: breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, and count from 1 to 5 each way. It says to do this for at least 5 minutes. Belly breathing and box breathing are two more options.

NCCIH says that relaxation techniques are generally safe for healthy people. If you have a heart or lung condition, talk to your doctor before you start a new breathing exercise.

How Steady helps you practise 4-7-8 breathing

The timer on this page is free and you do not need an app. Steady is a breathing timer for iPhone and iPad. It does not diagnose or treat a condition.

• Relaxing Breath program. Steady has a built-in Relaxing Breath program (“Sleep Easy”) with the 4 – 7 – 8 pattern. See the breathing programs.
• Your own pace. If the 4-7-8 seconds feel too long, make a Custom Program with your own seconds for Inhale, Inhale Hold and Exhale. See custom programs.
• Eyes closed in bed. Turn on the Audio Guide or Vibration Feedback in Audio and Vibration Cues. Then you can follow the counts with your eyes closed. Add a background ambience sound if you like. See cues and ambience.
• Two sessions a day. Set up to 3 Daily Reminders, for example one in the morning and one at bedtime. See reminders.
• Track the habit. My Stats shows your total minutes, sessions and streaks. See stats and badges.

Some features need Steady Pro.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor about symptoms.