The numbers side by side

PatternInHoldOutHoldCyclePer minute
Box breathing444416 s3.8
4-7-8478019 s3.2

Both are slow. Typical resting breathing is about 9 to 24 breaths a minute; these are under 4.1 Both sit well inside what a 2018 review of 15 studies calls slow breathing, under 10 breaths a minute, which went with higher heart rate variability during practice and with reports of feeling more relaxed.2

The difference is where the time goes: box spends half of each cycle holding, while 4-7-8 spends the longest part of it exhaling.

How each one is done

Box breathing

Mark Divine, the former Navy SEAL who named it, starts on empty lungs: breathe out fully, hold for 4, in through the nose for 4, hold for 4, out through the nose for 4. He says not to clamp down during the holds.3

4-7-8

Dr. Andrew Weil's version rests the tip of the tongue on the ridge behind the upper front teeth. Breathe out through the mouth, in through the nose for 4, hold for 7, and out through the mouth for 8 with a whoosh. He suggests 4 breaths at a time to start.4

Which one for which moment

Box breathing for staying steady: before a presentation, in a waiting room, at the start of a difficult conversation. Divine describes the 4-4-4-4 ratio as neutral: it won't charge you up or make you sleepy, and it leaves him alert.3

4-7-8 for winding down: at bedtime, after a stressful day, or when you want a longer exhale. The long out breath is the point, and the hold gives you time to slow down before it.4

Box breathes out through the nose and 4-7-8 through the mouth with a soft whoosh, so box is the quieter one in public. If you dislike holds, use extended exhale: 4 in and 8 out with no pause.

What the research says

There is no head-to-head trial of box breathing and 4-7-8. The closest comparison is the 2023 Stanford trial, which tested box breathing against an exhale-focused practice and meditation. Taken together, the breathing groups improved mood and lowered breathing rate more than meditation, and cyclic sighing was the only practice to improve mood significantly more on its own. Mood improved in the box breathing group too, but not significantly more than with meditation, and that arm had only 21 people.5

The studies of 4-7-8 are smaller. A 2022 study of 43 young adults, who did 3 sets of 6 cycles, found lower heart rate and systolic blood pressure straight afterward; the authors concluded that 4-7-8 may improve heart rate variability and blood pressure, particularly in people who aren't sleep deprived.6 A 2026 review of slow breathing before bed found self-reported sleep improvements in 7 of 9 studies, with objective sleep measures inconclusive.7

Neither pattern has been shown to treat anxiety, insomnia or any other condition. Both are slow-breathing practices with modest, short-term evidence behind them.

Adjusting the counts

Both patterns scale. Box can drop to 3-3-3-3 or grow to Deep Box, 6-6-6-6. The Stanford trial didn't use a fixed 4-4-4-4: each person's box counts were set by a breath test, from 3 or 4 seconds up to 8 to 10, and people were told to shorten them whenever they had to strain.5

For 4-7-8, keep the out breath longest. A 3-5-6 pattern on the custom timer is an easier start, and 4-4-6 or 4-0-8 sits between the 2 patterns.

How to choose

Try 1 minute of each, back to back, and notice which one you can do without straining. A simple rule: box at a desk, 4-7-8 in bed. If neither feels right after a week, try extended exhale or coherent breathing, which have no holds.

Both are in the app and in the timers above. The box timer is on the home page; 4-7-8 has its own page.

Questions

Is box breathing or 4-7-8 better for sleep?

For bedtime, 4-7-8 is the more common choice, because of the long exhale and the slower pace. No trial has compared them for sleep. Box breathing is fine in bed too if you find the holds comfortable.

Which one is better for anxiety?

In the Stanford trial, cyclic sighing, an exhale-focused practice, was the only one to improve mood significantly more than meditation.5 It is a different pattern from 4-7-8, so the trial doesn't choose between them. Box breathing is easier to do in public, and mood improved in its group too.

Can I do 4-7-8 in the morning?

Yes. Nothing about the pattern ties it to bedtime. Use it whenever you want a long, slow exhale.

Why does box breathing have 2 holds and 4-7-8 one?

Box breathing is built as 4 equal sides, so it holds after both the inhale and the exhale. The 4-7-8 pattern spends that time on a longer exhale instead of a second hold, which is why its cycle is 19 seconds rather than 16.

Can I do both on the same day?

Yes: box during the day and 4-7-8 at bedtime, for example. The Stanford trial asked people to do one 5-minute practice a day,5 so the research says nothing about combining them.

What is cyclic sighing, from the Stanford trial?

You take 2 inhales through the nose, the second topping up the lungs, then a slow, full exhale through the mouth, for 5 minutes.5 It isn't one of BreathKit's patterns; the closest timer here is extended exhale, which also makes the out breath the longest part.

Related timers

This guide isn’t medical advice.

Sources

  1. Lehrer, P. M., & Gevirtz, R. (2014). Heart rate variability biofeedback: how and why does it work? Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 756.Typical resting breathing rates
  2. Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., et al. (2018). How breath-control can change your life: a systematic review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, 353.Slow breathing under 10 breaths a minute and heart rate variability during practice
  3. Divine, M. (2016). A Navy SEAL breathing technique to stay calm and focused. Time.Mark Divine's steps for box breathing and its neutral, alert effect
  4. Weil, A. The 4-7-8 Breath: health benefits and demonstration. DrWeil.com.The 4-7-8 steps and their use for winding down
  5. Balban, M. Y., Neri, E., Kogon, M. M., et al. (2023). Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 4(1), 100895.The Stanford trial, its box breathing arm and how its counts were set
  6. Vierra, J., Boonla, O., & Prasertsri, P. (2022). 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. Physiological Reports, 10(13), e15389.The 2022 4-7-8 study
  7. Eide, E. M., et al. (2026). Slow breathing techniques before bedtime and the effects on sleep: a systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 102284.The review of slow breathing before bedtime