4-7-8 breathing: a slow breath for bedtime

How do you do 4-7-8 breathing?

1. Sit up straight, or lie in bed if you are using it to fall asleep.
2. Rest the tip of your tongue just behind your top front teeth.
3. Breathe out fully through your mouth.
4. Close your mouth and breathe in quietly through your nose for a count of 4.
5. Hold your breath for a count of 7.
6. Breathe out through your mouth for a count of 8, slowly and completely.
7. That is one round. Do three or four.

The ratio matters more than the speed. If 7 counts is too long, count faster and keep the same 4-7-8 shape. Some people feel a little light-headed at first. If you feel faint or unwell, stop and breathe normally.

Where does 4-7-8 breathing come from?

Cleveland Clinic says it was popularised by Dr. Andrew Weil and has roots in pranayama, the breath work of yoga.

Does 4-7-8 breathing help you sleep?

It may help you feel more relaxed at bedtime, but the evidence for 4-7-8 itself is thin.

• Cleveland Clinic describes the counting as a way to give your mind something other than your worries, and suggests three rounds twice a day. It also notes that beginners may feel slightly light-headed or short of breath.
• Research on slow breathing in general is more developed. A 2018 systematic review in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (Zaccaro and colleagues) found that breathing slower than 10 breaths a minute was linked with more relaxation and less anxiety in healthy people. It included only 15 studies, and the authors say how slow breathing works is still debated.
• The NHS lists breathing exercises among the things to try in a calm bedtime routine, alongside reading and calming music.

4-7-8 is not a sleep treatment. If you often struggle to sleep, talk to a doctor.

Why is the breath out so long?

Each round of 4-7-8 takes 19 counts, so you breathe only a few times a minute. The long exhale is the slowest part. If you want a slow exhale without the hold, try calm breathing (4 in, 6 out). For a whole routine, see how to wind down for sleep.

Try it with Bliss

In CalmSpace.ai, 4-7-8 is the Sleep rhythm in Breathe together. Host a session, share the link, and up to 6 people breathe to one shared start time. Bliss can guide everyone with her voice, in sync on every device. A weekly circle keeps the same link for the same day and time, for example a family bedtime breath with grandparents in another city. Hosting is free: sign up at app.calmspace.ai.

More guides: box breathing, the physiological sigh, all breathing guides.

Frequently asked questions