4-7-8 Breathing: A Simple Pattern to Calm Your Body and Ease into Sleep

About this tool

4-7-8 breathing is a paced relaxation exercise that gives you a simple counting pattern to follow when you want to settle down. You inhale through your nose for four counts, hold for seven, and exhale through your mouth for eight. Popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil, the technique includes a longer exhale than inhale. It can be part of a wind-down routine, but it does not guarantee relief from anxiety or make sleep happen on demand.

Slow breathing has been studied for its effects on the nervous system and feelings of relaxation. The systematic review by Zaccaro and colleagues describes physiological changes associated with slow breathing, but those findings do not establish that this particular ratio is best for everyone. A comfortable, unforced rhythm matters more than trying to make each breath as deep or as long as possible. Notice your own response rather than treating a prescribed count as a performance target.

Begin with no more than four full cycles in a sitting, as described in the University of Arizona breathing demonstration, and keep the breathing gentle rather than forced. Counts describe a rhythm; you do not need to make each count a full second. If the hold feels uncomfortable, stop and return to normal breathing. You can choose a simpler breathing practice without a hold instead of forcing yourself to complete this pattern.

If you feel dizzy or short of breath, stop, breathe normally, and try again later with shorter, gentler counts. It is meant to feel soothing, never strained.

This pattern is not the right fit for everyone. If you are pregnant, have a respiratory condition such as COPD or severe asthma, or have been told to avoid breath holding, ask your clinician whether this exercise is appropriate for you. Holding your breath should never become a test of endurance. If attention to breathing makes you feel panicky, return to your usual breathing and consider a different calming activity that feels more comfortable.

The calm rating at the end is a way to notice your own response, not a clinical score. There is no validated change in this rating that proves the technique is working or that you need more rounds. You can record whether the exercise felt comfortable, neutral, or unsettling and use that information when choosing what to try again. If anxiety or sleep problems persist or interfere with daily life, Psychology.com's therapist directory is a free place to start looking for professional support.

A study by Jaruwan Vierra and colleagues examined immediate effects of 4-7-8 breathing in healthy young adults and reported changes in heart rate variability and blood pressure. That is different from showing that this exercise treats an anxiety disorder or chronic insomnia. Its findings should not be used to predict how quickly you will fall asleep or how much your symptoms will improve.

Practice somewhere you can sit or lie comfortably and stop easily. If you are using the exercise at bedtime, let it be an optional part of winding down rather than a rule you must complete to sleep. If counting makes you more alert or frustrated, set the exercise aside. You do not need to keep repeating it until you obtain a better calm rating.

The Deep Breathing Exercise offers another way to practice a comfortable breathing rhythm. Box Breathing uses a different pattern, while the Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise focuses on how you breathe. Relaxation Techniques collects other options if breath-focused practice does not suit you. The Anxiety Test can help you reflect on symptoms to discuss with a professional; its screening result is separate from your calm rating here.

Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW
Reviewed the 4-7-8 ratio and safety guidance for accuracy.

References

1. Zaccaro A, et al. How breath-control can change your life: a systematic review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing. Front Hum Neurosci. 2018;12:353.
2. Weil A. Breathing: three exercises. University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.
3. University of Arizona, Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. Maizeswalk breathe: guided 4-7-8 breathing demonstration. https://awcim.arizona.edu/maizeswalk_breathe
4. Vierra J, Boonla O, Prasertsri P. 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;10(13):e15389. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35822447/

4-7-8 Breathing FAQ