How The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique Can Help Relieve Stress and Anxiety

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It WorksHow to PracticeWhen to Use This TechniqueBenefitsTips for PracticingPotential Pitfalls

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How It Works

How to Practice

When to Use This Technique

Benefits

Tips for Practicing

Potential Pitfalls

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Many people use this counting technique tomanage stressand anxiety through controlled breathing. Specifically, it involves inhaling for the count of four, holding your breath for the count of seven, and exhaling for the count of eight.

In May of 2015,Dr. Weil popularized thisbreathing techniqueto help people manage stress and anxiety. The 4-7-8 breathing technique is based on thepranayama breathing exercisethat is practiced duringyoga for relaxation.

How 4-7-8 Breathing Works

Are you someone who needs to understand “why” something works before you’ll give it a try? If so, here’s the rationale behind the technique.

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How to Practice 4-7-8 Breathing

If you want to start this breathing practice but aren’t sure how to get started, it’s helpful to know that it is one of the most straightforward techniques you can learn.

There are some specific techniques involved in the practice of this type of breathing, so it’s important to pay attention to the details.

Here is a list of steps on how to practice this breathing technique. You can alsowatch Dr. Weil describe the procedure himself.

Step 1. Find a comfortable spot where you can sit quietly without being disturbed.Step 2. Gently place your tongue so that it is pressing against the back of your top teeth.Step 3. Exhale all of the air around your tongue through your open mouth.Step 4. Close your mouth and then inhale for a count of 4 through your nose.Step 5. Now, count to seven while you hold your breath.Step 6. Finally, exhale through your mouth for a count of eight. Make an audible “whoosh” sound as you exhale. Once you have exhaled fully, it should feel as though all of the air has left.Step 7. Do a total of four cycles, repeating the previous steps.

Step 1. Find a comfortable spot where you can sit quietly without being disturbed.

Step 2. Gently place your tongue so that it is pressing against the back of your top teeth.

Step 3. Exhale all of the air around your tongue through your open mouth.

Step 4. Close your mouth and then inhale for a count of 4 through your nose.

Step 5. Now, count to seven while you hold your breath.

Step 6. Finally, exhale through your mouth for a count of eight. Make an audible “whoosh” sound as you exhale. Once you have exhaled fully, it should feel as though all of the air has left.

Step 7. Do a total of four cycles, repeating the previous steps.

The more often that you can practice this technique, the more quickly you will notice results. Ideally, according to Dr. Weil, you should practice at least twice a day though you can do it more often if you are so inclined.

Within just a few short minutes, this breathing technique will help activate your parasympathetic response and slow down yourheart ratewhile lowering blood pressure. You can use 4-7-8 breathing in many different instances, including when feeling stressed or anxious before bedtime, which is another great reason why practicing at night. Once you become comfortable with doing four cycles, you can increase to a maximum of eight cycles.

The primary use of this breathing technique is to lower your stress response over time.This means practicing daily to notice an improvement in the long term. However, 4-7-8 breathing can also help keep you calm in a variety of stressful situations. You can use it to alleviate symptoms associated with stress, anxiety, andpanic attacks. Below are some specific situations in which you might find this 4-7-8 breathing helpful.

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While there is a lack of research on the 4-7-8 breathing technique specifically, other research shows the benefits of other similar deep breathing exercises.

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Tips for Practicing This Technique

It might feel strange at first to practice breathing this way. Try to push through those initial feelings of discomfort. Practice this technique as often as you need to until it becomes automatic for you. Here are a few tips that might be helpful:

While there are many ways to practice 4-7-8 breathing, you should consider whether a different approach works for you better than the one described here.

The biggest pitfall of a breathing technique like 4-7-8 breathing is that people forget to practice. It takes about 30 days to form a new habit, so be patient with yourself until this becomes part of your day-to-day routine.

Keep in Mind

The 4-7-8 breathing technique described in this article can potentially help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

What’s more, it may have other benefits like improved concentration and better sleep quality. If you’re looking for something easy to do that will make a difference in your life then this simple technique may be all you need.

It is important to remember that this breathing technique should not be used as a replacement for seeking help from professionals when necessary. It can also be helpful to learn other relaxation techniques such asprogressive muscle relaxationand meditation.

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Huffington Post.The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique Could Help You Fall Asleep In Just 60 Seconds, Scientist Claims.Perciavalle V, Blandini M, Fecarotta P, et al.The role of deep breathing on stress.Neurol Sci. 2017;38(3):451-458. doi:10.1007/s10072-016-2790-8Weil A.4-7-8 Breathing: Health Benefits & DemonstrationJerath R, Crawford MW, Barnes VA, Harden K.Self-regulation of breathing as a primary treatment for anxiety.Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2015;40(2):107-115. doi:10.1007/s10484-015-9279-8Valenza MC, Valenza-Peña G, Torres-Sánchez I, González-Jiménez E, Conde-Valero A, Valenza-Demet G.Effectiveness of controlled breathing techniques on anxiety and depression in hospitalized patients with COPD: a randomized clinical trial[published correction appears in Respir Care. 2016 Nov;61(11):e3].Respir Care. 2014;59(2):209-215. doi:10.4187/respcare.02565Tsai HJ, Kuo TB, Lee GS, Yang CC.Efficacy of paced breathing for insomnia: enhances vagal activity and improves sleep quality.Psychophysiology. 2015;52(3):388-396. doi:10.1111/psyp.12333American Institute of Stress.How Proper Breathing Can Reduce Stress.Yadav G, Mutha PK.Deep Breathing Practice Facilitates Retention of Newly Learned Motor Skills.Sci Rep. 2016;6:37069. Published November 2016. doi:10.1038/srep37069Busch V, Magerl W, Kern U, Haas J, Hajak G, Eichhammer P.The effect of deep and slow breathing on pain perception, autonomic activity, and mood processing–an experimental study.Pain Med. 2012;13(2):215-228. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4637.2011.01243.x

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Huffington Post.The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique Could Help You Fall Asleep In Just 60 Seconds, Scientist Claims.Perciavalle V, Blandini M, Fecarotta P, et al.The role of deep breathing on stress.Neurol Sci. 2017;38(3):451-458. doi:10.1007/s10072-016-2790-8Weil A.4-7-8 Breathing: Health Benefits & DemonstrationJerath R, Crawford MW, Barnes VA, Harden K.Self-regulation of breathing as a primary treatment for anxiety.Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2015;40(2):107-115. doi:10.1007/s10484-015-9279-8Valenza MC, Valenza-Peña G, Torres-Sánchez I, González-Jiménez E, Conde-Valero A, Valenza-Demet G.Effectiveness of controlled breathing techniques on anxiety and depression in hospitalized patients with COPD: a randomized clinical trial[published correction appears in Respir Care. 2016 Nov;61(11):e3].Respir Care. 2014;59(2):209-215. doi:10.4187/respcare.02565Tsai HJ, Kuo TB, Lee GS, Yang CC.Efficacy of paced breathing for insomnia: enhances vagal activity and improves sleep quality.Psychophysiology. 2015;52(3):388-396. doi:10.1111/psyp.12333American Institute of Stress.How Proper Breathing Can Reduce Stress.Yadav G, Mutha PK.Deep Breathing Practice Facilitates Retention of Newly Learned Motor Skills.Sci Rep. 2016;6:37069. Published November 2016. doi:10.1038/srep37069Busch V, Magerl W, Kern U, Haas J, Hajak G, Eichhammer P.The effect of deep and slow breathing on pain perception, autonomic activity, and mood processing–an experimental study.Pain Med. 2012;13(2):215-228. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4637.2011.01243.x

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Huffington Post.The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique Could Help You Fall Asleep In Just 60 Seconds, Scientist Claims.Perciavalle V, Blandini M, Fecarotta P, et al.The role of deep breathing on stress.Neurol Sci. 2017;38(3):451-458. doi:10.1007/s10072-016-2790-8Weil A.4-7-8 Breathing: Health Benefits & DemonstrationJerath R, Crawford MW, Barnes VA, Harden K.Self-regulation of breathing as a primary treatment for anxiety.Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2015;40(2):107-115. doi:10.1007/s10484-015-9279-8Valenza MC, Valenza-Peña G, Torres-Sánchez I, González-Jiménez E, Conde-Valero A, Valenza-Demet G.Effectiveness of controlled breathing techniques on anxiety and depression in hospitalized patients with COPD: a randomized clinical trial[published correction appears in Respir Care. 2016 Nov;61(11):e3].Respir Care. 2014;59(2):209-215. doi:10.4187/respcare.02565Tsai HJ, Kuo TB, Lee GS, Yang CC.Efficacy of paced breathing for insomnia: enhances vagal activity and improves sleep quality.Psychophysiology. 2015;52(3):388-396. doi:10.1111/psyp.12333American Institute of Stress.How Proper Breathing Can Reduce Stress.Yadav G, Mutha PK.Deep Breathing Practice Facilitates Retention of Newly Learned Motor Skills.Sci Rep. 2016;6:37069. Published November 2016. doi:10.1038/srep37069Busch V, Magerl W, Kern U, Haas J, Hajak G, Eichhammer P.The effect of deep and slow breathing on pain perception, autonomic activity, and mood processing–an experimental study.Pain Med. 2012;13(2):215-228. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4637.2011.01243.x

Huffington Post.The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique Could Help You Fall Asleep In Just 60 Seconds, Scientist Claims.

Perciavalle V, Blandini M, Fecarotta P, et al.The role of deep breathing on stress.Neurol Sci. 2017;38(3):451-458. doi:10.1007/s10072-016-2790-8

Weil A.4-7-8 Breathing: Health Benefits & Demonstration

Jerath R, Crawford MW, Barnes VA, Harden K.Self-regulation of breathing as a primary treatment for anxiety.Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2015;40(2):107-115. doi:10.1007/s10484-015-9279-8

Valenza MC, Valenza-Peña G, Torres-Sánchez I, González-Jiménez E, Conde-Valero A, Valenza-Demet G.Effectiveness of controlled breathing techniques on anxiety and depression in hospitalized patients with COPD: a randomized clinical trial[published correction appears in Respir Care. 2016 Nov;61(11):e3].Respir Care. 2014;59(2):209-215. doi:10.4187/respcare.02565

Tsai HJ, Kuo TB, Lee GS, Yang CC.Efficacy of paced breathing for insomnia: enhances vagal activity and improves sleep quality.Psychophysiology. 2015;52(3):388-396. doi:10.1111/psyp.12333

American Institute of Stress.How Proper Breathing Can Reduce Stress.

Yadav G, Mutha PK.Deep Breathing Practice Facilitates Retention of Newly Learned Motor Skills.Sci Rep. 2016;6:37069. Published November 2016. doi:10.1038/srep37069

Busch V, Magerl W, Kern U, Haas J, Hajak G, Eichhammer P.The effect of deep and slow breathing on pain perception, autonomic activity, and mood processing–an experimental study.Pain Med. 2012;13(2):215-228. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4637.2011.01243.x

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