4-7-8 Breathing: How To, Benefits, and Real Life Uses

Just breathe. You have heard that phrase, probably more than once, and it often doesn’t help without knowing how to do certain techniques like 4-7-8 breathing.

The first time I heard of the 4-7-8 breath was from Dr. Weil. I thought great another breathing technique that won’t work. Another part of me was intrigued.

Dr. Weil is a leading expert in integrative medicine, which is a practice that approaches medicine holistically encompassing mind, body, and spirit. He is the founder and director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, clinical professor of medicine, and professor of public health.

Needless to say, this man knows what he is talking about, and this technique has some powerful results. Here you will learn:

• How to practice the 4-7-8 breath
• The 4 7 8 breathing benefits
• How to use 4 7 8 breathing in real-life situations

How to Perform the 4-7-8 Breath

The 4-7-8 breath originated from a pranayama, or yoga, breath. Dr. Weil further evolved this breathing technique to relax the mind and body.

This breathing technique is effortless to practice, involves nothing but your body, and is finished faster than it began.

Before beginning:

• Sit or lay down.
• Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth right behind your teeth.
• Push all the existing air out of your lungs.

The 4-7-8 breathing method:

• Inhale through your nose for a count of 4
• Hold for a count of 7
• Exhale forcefully out of your mouth (with the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth) for a count of 8 while making a “whooshing” sound
• Repeat for 4 to 8 cycles

Tips:

• Dr. Weil suggests practicing at least 2 times a day.
• It is important to keep a steady tempo throughout the practice – any cycle length is fine as long as each second time is consistent.
• After practicing for a month or more, you can increase to 8 breath cycles, but no more.
• Practice this technique for 4-6 weeks before attempting to use it for relief in a specific situation.

For me, practicing once when I wake up and once before bed is a simple way to keep track of the practice. The more you practice this technique, the slower you will be able to go.

Box breathing is another method used to calm anxiety – you can learn more about it in this article.

4-7-8 Breathing Benefits

Dr. Weil calls this breath a “natural tranquilizer for the nervous system” and clarifies that it “gains in power with repetition and practice.”

Although there isn’t a ton of clinical research on this technique, there is a large amount of anecdotal evidence from those who use it regularly.

Medical News Today, which conducted a review on the 2011 Health Science Journal article, revealed some potential benefits of deep breathing – especially if that is deep breathing from the diaphragm.

Some of those benefits include:

• decreased fatigue
• reduced anxiety
• better stress management
• reduced hypertension
• improved migraine symptoms

A systematic review analyzed 15 articles from 2461 abstracts on the psychological and physiological changes somebody has when their breathing frequency is voluntarily slowed down during relaxation practices. These slow breathing techniques altered the body’s heart rate, central nervous system activity, and brain waves.

“Psychological/behavioral outputs related to the abovementioned [biological] changes are increased comfort, relaxation, pleasantness, vigor and alertness, and reduced symptoms of arousal, anxiety, depression, anger, and confusion.”

Results from Systematic Review

The same review concluded that slowed breathing techniques are linked to emotional control and psychological well-being in healthy patients.

Additional Resources:

• Anxiety Reducing Resource: This article has a few other techniques that are helpful.
• Sleep Resource: This article on valerian root is also a good resource.

Using the 4-7-8 Breath In Real Life

Dr. Weil suggests practicing this technique for 4-6 weeks before attempting to use it for relief in a specific situation.

After practicing this technique for some time, I personally found value when on the brink of an anxiety attack.

I was overwhelmed with a large number of menu options at a new restaurant. My thoughts were racing and a line was forming behind me. I went into full-blown panic running off to the bathroom without ordering. But something magical happened that day.

For the first time ever, I successfully used the 4-7-8 breath to stop a full-blown anxiety attack.

How did I remember to use it? Well, I had been practicing every morning, so when it was game-time, my muscle memory jumped right to it.

Typically, in times like these, I would try to “think” my way out of overthinking. Counterproductive, I know.

This time was different. This time I had a tool my anxiety attack had never seen before. I sat on a chair in the bathroom stall, closed my eyes, and performed the four rounds of 4-7-8 breathing cycles. I paid close attention to the breath and close attention to my counting.

When I opened my eyes, I realized my brain had quieted down a little. I felt better and calmer. Of course, I still felt some anxiety, shame, and guilt but it was all much more manageable. Plus I had dodged a full-blown anxiety attack for one of the first times in my life.

Some other real-life scenarios you can consider using the 4-7-8 breath:

• feeling anxiety during social engagements
• experiencing overwhelm at work
• navigating intense shame or guilt after an argument
• working through a busy and stressful schedule
• having trouble calming down to fall asleep

The 4-7-8 breath is uncomplicated and takes no more than a minute to complete. It is a technique that has added extreme benefit to my life and the lives of many others that practice this technique both daily and in times of need.

Maybe, just maybe, this breathing technique will be the one that changes your mind and reveals to you the real power behind that annoying phrase – just breathe.

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4-7-8 Breathing Technique FAQ