How to use the timer
- Get comfortable. Sit up while you’re learning. Once you know the rhythm, you can do it lying down in bed.
- Rest your tongue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there the whole time.
- Press start and breathe out fully. You get three seconds to empty your lungs before the first breath.
- Follow the circle and the tones. In through your nose for 4, hold for 7, out through your mouth for 8. The number in the circle counts down each step.
- Stop after four breaths and let your breathing settle on its own.
Why the counts are 4, 7 and 8
4-7-8 breathing is a slow breathing pattern with a short inhale, a long hold and an even longer exhale. Dr Andrew Weil adapted it from pranayama, the breath-control practices of yoga, and calls it the “relaxing breath”. At the standard pace each breath takes about 19 seconds, so you breathe only around three times a minute, and the exhale is twice as long as the inhale. That long, slow breath out is a big part of why it feels settling.
The seconds themselves don’t matter much. If the hold feels too long, count faster and keep the ratio. That is what the Quicker pace does.
Using 4-7-8 breathing at bedtime
Treat it as a wind-down signal, not a knockout switch. Once the lights are off, do four rounds, then stop counting and let your breathing slow down by itself. If your mind starts racing again, do another four. If you’re still wide awake after about 20 minutes, get up and do something calm in dim light.
For the full method, common mistakes and what the research shows, read our step-by-step guide to 4-7-8 breathing. Prefer equal counts? Try the box breathing timer.
Questions
Is this 4-7-8 breathing timer free?
Yes. It's free, needs no account and has no ads. It runs entirely in your browser.
How many rounds of 4-7-8 breathing should I do?
Four. Dr Andrew Weil, who popularised the technique, suggests no more than four breaths at a time for the first month, at least twice a day. After that you can build up to eight.
What if I can't hold my breath for 7 seconds?
Choose the Quicker pace. It keeps the same 4:7:8 ratio but counts faster, and the ratio matters more than the exact seconds. If that still feels hard, try 3-5-6 until it gets easier.
Why does 4-7-8 breathing make me dizzy?
Feeling light-headed is common in the first few tries and usually passes. Stop and breathe normally, then next time use the Quicker pace or do fewer rounds.
Will 4-7-8 breathing put me to sleep in 60 seconds?
Probably not. Small studies show it can lower heart rate and anxiety, but there's no good evidence that it knocks you out in a minute. It works best as a wind-down cue before sleep.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes, in any modern mobile browser. The screen stays on while the timer runs, where your browser allows it. The nive app also has 4-7-8 breathing built in.
Read more about breathing
Take it to bed with you
The nive app plays studio-recorded rain, ocean, forest, fire and noise, lets you layer up to six sounds, works offline, and fades your mix to silence with Sleep Mode. Play it on Google Cast and AirPlay speakers too. It also guides 4-7-8 and box breathing. Free on iPhone and Android with no ads; Premium is $0.99 a month or $9.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial.