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When anxiety rises, the breath often becomes shallow and tight. The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a gentle way to reset. By slowing and extending your breath, you signal to your body that it’s safe to rest.
How to Practise the 4-7-8 Technique
Here’s a simple breakdown of how to do the technique.
For 4 Seconds
Inhale through your nose
For 7 Seconds
Hold your breath
For 8 Seconds
Exhale slowly through your mouth
Repeat
If comfortable – repeat for 3-4 cycles
If the counts feel too long at first, that’s okay — you can shorten them. What matters is keeping the exhale longer than the inhale, which helps calm the nervous system.
Let the breath carry you. Let the moment soften.
By using your breath as an anchor, it allows the world around you to move on by. You could also try groundings techniques such as the 5,4,3,2,1 or STOP.
You might find it most helpful before sleep, after stress, or whenever your mind feels busy.
