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The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique: Steps, Timing and Cautions

How to do 4-7-8 breathing as Dr Andrew Weil teaches it: tongue position, the 4:7:8 ratio, how many breaths to start with, and what one study found.

By Published 4 min read

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Key takeaways

  • 4-7-8 breathing means inhaling through the nose for 4 counts, holding for 7 and exhaling through the mouth with a whoosh for 8.
  • Dr Andrew Weil's handout says the ratio matters, not the absolute time: speed up if the hold is hard, but keep 4:7:8.
  • His handout limits beginners to four breaths at a time for the first month, rising to eight later if wished.
  • If one count is a second, a cycle takes 19 seconds, about 3.2 breaths a minute, and four cycles take just over a minute.
  • One small 2022 study found heart rate and systolic blood pressure fell straight after 4-7-8 breathing; that does not prove it improves sleep.

4-7-8 breathing is a slow breathing pattern with a long hold and an even longer exhale. Cleveland Clinic notes that it was popularised in 2015 by the integrative medicine specialist Dr Andrew Weil and has ancient roots in the yogic practice of pranayama. This guide follows Dr Weil's own patient handout, published by the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, works out the timing and sets out what research has found.

The four steps in Dr Weil's handout

Dr Weil's handout starts with posture and the tongue. Ideally, sit with your back straight, and place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, keeping it there throughout. You exhale through your mouth around your tongue; pursing your lips slightly can help.

  1. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
  2. Inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of 4.
  3. Hold your breath for a count of 7.
  4. Exhale completely through your mouth, with a whoosh, to a count of 8.

That is one breath. The handout repeats the cycle three more times, for four breaths in all. Cleveland Clinic adds that if you are using the technique to fall asleep, you can do it lying in bed.

The ratio, not the clock

The handout is explicit: the absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the ratio of 4:7:8 is. If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the whole exercise up but keep the ratio. With practice, you can slow it down.

A worked example. If one count is one second, a cycle lasts 4 + 7 + 8 = 19 seconds, so four cycles take 76 seconds, just over a minute. That is about 60 ÷ 19 ≈ 3.2 breaths a minute, against the 12 to 15 a minute Wikipedia gives as typical for a resting adult. If the hold feels too long, count faster, for example at two counts a second: the cycle drops to 9.5 seconds, still in the 4:7:8 ratio, and four cycles take 38 seconds. Either way, the exhale is twice as long as the inhale.

How often, and how many

Dr Weil's handout suggests practising at least twice a day. It also sets a limit for beginners: no more than four breaths at one time for the first month; later, if you wish, you can extend to eight. Cleveland Clinic's specialist suggests three cycles twice a day, and attaching practice to fixed moments, such as waking up or going to bed, to build the habit.

Lightheadedness and other cautions

Both sources mention that you may feel a little lightheaded at first. Dr Weil's handout says not to be concerned because it will pass; Cleveland Clinic attributes it, along with any shortness of breath, to learning to breathe more slowly. If the feeling does not pass, or you feel dizzy or uncomfortable, stop and breathe normally, and keep to the handout's four-breath limit. A breathing exercise is a relaxation practice, not a treatment for insomnia, anxiety or any other condition: if you have a breathing condition, or sleep or anxiety problems persist, speak to a health professional.

What the 2022 Physiological Reports study measured

One study of the technique, published in Physiological Reports in 2022, tested it on 43 healthy people aged 19 to 25, some of them sleep-deprived. Participants did six cycles per set for three sets, with a minute of normal breathing between sets. Straight afterwards, heart rate and systolic blood pressure fell in both groups, and measures of heart rate variability changed, particularly in those who were not sleep-deprived.

That is a small study of immediate effects in young, healthy adults. It did not measure sleep, so it does not show that 4-7-8 breathing helps you fall asleep, even though Cleveland Clinic's article presents it as a method for sleep and relaxation. Broader reviews of slow breathing are summarised in slow breathing and relaxation.

4-7-8 compared with box breathing

4-7-8 Box breathing
Counts In 4, hold 7, out 8 In 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4
Cycle at one count a second 19 seconds 16 seconds
Emphasis A long exhale Equal phases
Exhale Through the mouth, with a whoosh Gentle, without straining

Box breathing explained covers the other pattern. Kawaii Cute Breathe Relax Care, one of our health and nutrition apps, paces breathing with an animated guide and timer cues for inhale, hold and exhale, and its store screenshots show gentle breath holds and a bedtime wind-down among its routines; its guide explains the routines.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

How do you do 4-7-8 breathing?
Rest the tip of your tongue on the ridge just behind your upper front teeth. Exhale fully through your mouth with a whoosh, inhale quietly through your nose for 4, hold for 7, then exhale through your mouth with a whoosh for 8. That is one breath; Dr Weil's handout repeats it for four breaths.
How many cycles of 4-7-8 breathing should a beginner do?
Dr Andrew Weil's handout says not to do more than four breaths at one time for the first month of practice, and that you can later extend it to eight breaths if you wish.
Is it normal to feel lightheaded during 4-7-8 breathing?
Both Dr Weil's handout and Cleveland Clinic mention feeling a little lightheaded when you first start; the handout says it will pass, and Cleveland Clinic puts it down to learning to breathe more slowly. If you feel dizzy or uncomfortable, stop and breathe normally, and speak to a health professional if it keeps happening.
Does 4-7-8 breathing help you sleep?
Dr Weil's handout suggests using it to help you fall asleep, and Cleveland Clinic presents it as a way to wind down, but the study cited here did not measure sleep. That 2022 study of 43 healthy adults aged 19 to 25 found heart rate and systolic blood pressure fell straight after the exercise.

Sources

  1. 4-7-8 Breath (opens in a new tab)Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona — accessed
  2. 4-7-8 Breathing Method For Sleep and Relaxation (opens in a new tab)Cleveland Clinic — accessed
  3. Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults (Vierra et al., Physiological Reports, 2022) (opens in a new tab)PubMed — accessed
  4. Respiratory rate (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed

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