4-7-8 breathing

What It Means

4-7-8 breathing is a slow breathing exercise taught by Dr. Andrew Weil, an integrative medicine physician, who calls it the Relaxing Breath. You breathe in quietly through your nose for a count of four, hold for seven, and breathe out through your mouth with a whoosh for eight. One cycle is followed by three more, so a full round is four breaths.

How People Say It

• "I do 4-7-8 when I can't fall asleep."
• "In for four, hold for seven, out for eight."
• "That whoosh breath your doctor showed you."

The Breakdown

When people use it

• In bed, when sleep won't come. Cleveland Clinic presents it as a technique for sleep and relaxation.
• Before a stressful moment, like an appointment or a tough conversation.
• When your breathing feels fast and you want to slow it.

How to do it, from Dr. Weil and Cleveland Clinic

1. Rest the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there the whole time.
2. Breathe out completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
3. Close your mouth and breathe in quietly through your nose for a count of four.
4. Hold your breath for a count of seven.
5. Breathe out through your mouth, with the whoosh, for a count of eight.
6. Repeat three more times, for four breaths in all.

A short self-check. After four breaths, notice whether you feel any calmer than when you started. Weil says the effect is subtle at first and grows with practice, so one try may not tell you much.

Starting the conversation. If you're relying on it most nights to fall asleep, tell your doctor: "I've been using breathing exercises to get to sleep almost every night. Can we talk about my sleep?"

Where It Comes From

Cleveland Clinic says the technique has roots in pranayama, the yogic practice of focusing on the breath, and was popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil, who teaches it on his own site as the Relaxing Breath.

Good to Know

Cleveland Clinic notes that people new to it may feel a little lightheaded or short of breath, and Weil writes that this passes. Buhata's suggestion: if it doesn't settle, go back to breathing normally. Trouble sleeping that lasts, or anxiety that keeps returning, is worth raising with a doctor or a licensed mental health professional. If you're thinking about suicide or are in crisis, call or text 988 (the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline). Call 911 in an emergency.

Related Terms and Categories

• Box breathing

  A slow breathing pattern of four equal counts: breathe in for four, hold for four, breathe out for four and hold for four, then repeat.

• Wind-down routine

  A set of calm, screen-free activities in the last part of the evening that helps you shift from being awake to falling asleep.

• Sleep hygiene

  The everyday habits and bedroom setup that make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep, like a steady wake-up time and a quiet, cool room.

• Mindfulness

  Paying attention to what's happening in the present moment, such as your breath, your body, your thoughts and your surroundings.

Wellbeing and habits