How to do it in bed

Sit up while you learn the counts; once they are familiar, lie down. Rest the tip of your tongue against the ridge behind your upper front teeth. Breathe out through your mouth first, then in through your nose for 4, hold for 7, and out through your mouth for 8 with a soft whoosh.

Start with 4 breaths, which is what Dr. Andrew Weil recommends for the first month, then build to 8 if you want.1 If you lose count, start again at the next breath instead of working out where you were.

Keep the exhale quiet and even. If you run out of air before 8, shorten the inhale rather than rushing the out breath.

Why the long exhale

The long exhale is the part that makes the pattern feel different from normal breathing. A 2018 review of 15 studies found that slow breathing, under 10 breaths a minute, went with higher heart rate variability during practice and with reports of feeling calmer and more relaxed.2 At 19 seconds a cycle, 4-7-8 is about 3 breaths a minute.

A 2026 systematic review of slow breathing before bedtime found that self-reported sleep quality and duration improved in 7 of 9 studies. Studies that measured sleep objectively with polysomnography or actigraphy were inconclusive, and the review calls for longer, better-designed trials. Across the review, 6 studies also measured heart rate variability, and found that slow breathing affected both parasympathetic (calming) and sympathetic (arousing) activity.3

A 2022 study of 43 healthy adults aged 19 to 25 had them do 3 sets of 6 cycles of 4-7-8. Heart rate and systolic blood pressure were lower straight afterward, and the authors concluded that 4-7-8 may improve heart rate variability and blood pressure, especially in people who aren't sleep deprived. It was one small study, and it didn't measure sleep.4

What it won't do

There is no large randomized trial of 4-7-8 for insomnia. The evidence is about immediate changes in heart rate and blood pressure, and about slow breathing in general.3,4

In the 2023 Stanford trial, a month of 5 minutes of breathing practice a day made no significant difference to how long people slept or to their sleep scores.5

NHS advice is to see a GP if changing your sleep habits hasn't helped, or if you have had trouble sleeping for months.6

Other patterns for bed

If 4-7-8 does not suit you, try coherent breathing: 5 seconds in and 5 out, 6 breaths a minute, with no hold to manage.

Extended exhale breathing, 4 in and 8 out, keeps the long out breath and drops the hold. 7-11 breathing is slower again, and Student Minds, a UK charity, suggests it for trouble sleeping.7

Pick one and use it for a week before deciding. Switching every night makes it harder to tell what helps.

A wind-down that gives it a chance

Do the breathing at the same time each night, near the end of your wind-down. The NHS suggests relaxing for at least an hour before bed, with a bath or a book, and putting phones and other screens away right before bed, because their light keeps you more alert.6 So learn the counts with the timer earlier in the evening, then count in your head once the lights are off. Stop after 4 to 8 breaths; the timer's 1-minute session is 4 cycles.

If you are still awake after what feels like 15 to 20 minutes, get up, go to another room and do something relaxing in dim light, then go back to bed when you feel sleepy. That is the American Psychological Association's stimulus control advice, which also says not to watch the clock to time it.8

The NHS also suggests getting up at the same time every day, going to bed only when you feel sleepy, and not napping during the day.6

Questions

How many cycles of 4-7-8 should I do at bedtime?

Start with 4 breaths, as Weil suggests, then build to 8.1 A 1-minute session on the timer is 4 cycles and runs 1:16, because a timed session finishes the cycle it is in.

Can I do 4-7-8 lying down?

Yes. Sitting up is easier while you learn the counts. Once you know them, lying in bed is fine.

Does 4-7-8 make you fall asleep?

It may make it easier to settle by giving you a slow, repetitive task. It does not put you to sleep, and no large trial has tested 4-7-8 for insomnia; the sleep review above covers slow breathing in general.3

What if the 7-second hold is uncomfortable?

Use a 3-5-6 pattern on the custom timer, keeping the out breath longer than the in breath.

Do I have to breathe out through my mouth?

Weil's version breathes in through the nose and out through the mouth.1 If the whoosh is too loud for a shared bedroom, breathe out through softly pursed lips and keep the same count.

Why does 4-7-8 make me dizzy?

Some people feel a little dizzy when they start breathing exercises, because they are breathing more deeply than usual. Breathe more gently, and practice sitting or lying down until you are used to it.9

When should I do 4-7-8?

In bed, or in the last part of your wind-down. The studies in the 2026 review all used slow breathing practiced before bedtime.3

How long until 4-7-8 helps my sleep?

There is no tested answer for 4-7-8 itself. In the 2026 review, the studies that found better self-reported sleep mostly ran for 28 to 30 days, while the ones that measured sleep objectively after a single night were inconclusive.3

Can I use it if I wake up in the night?

Yes. Do a few cycles; if you are still awake after what feels like 15 to 20 minutes, the same get-up advice applies.8

Related timers

This guide isn’t medical advice.

Sources

  1. Weil, A. The 4-7-8 Breath: health benefits and demonstration. DrWeil.com.The steps, the 4:7:8 ratio and the advice to start with 4 breaths
  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.The evidence on slow breathing under 10 breaths a minute
  3. Eide, E. M., et al. (2026). Slow breathing techniques before bedtime and the effects on sleep: a systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 102284.The systematic review of slow breathing before bedtime
  4. 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 study of 4-7-8 and immediate heart rate and blood pressure changes
  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.No significant change in sleep after a month of daily breathing practice
  6. NHS. Insomnia. Reviewed 19 March 2024.Winding down before bed, screens before bed, and when to see a GP
  7. Student Minds. 7-11 breathing exercise. Published 1 July 2024.7-11 breathing suggested for trouble sleeping
  8. American Psychological Association. Appendix 3.3: Stimulus control instructions. Supplement to Making Evidence-Based Psychological Treatments Work With Older Adults.Getting up after 15 to 20 minutes awake, and not watching the clock
  9. Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Breathing exercises (staff wellbeing leaflet).Feeling dizzy when starting breathing exercises, and sitting or lying down to practice