Guided breathing timer
In for four. Hold for seven. Out for eight.
Press start and follow the circle. It grows as you breathe in, rests while you hold and shrinks as you breathe out, with a soft tone at each change so you can close your eyes.
Sit or lie comfortably. Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth.
If you feel light-headed, stop and breathe normally. Four rounds is plenty when you are new to it.
How to do 4-7-8 breathing
- Rest the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth and let your shoulders drop.
- Breathe in quietly through your nose for a count of four.
- Hold your breath for a count of seven.
- Breathe out through your mouth, slowly, for a count of eight.
- That is one round. Do four.
The technique was popularised by Dr Andrew Weil, who describes it as drawn from pranayama, the breathing practices of yoga. The exact seconds matter less than the ratio: the out-breath is twice as long as the in-breath. If seven and eight feel too long, keep the proportions and count faster.
Why a long out-breath feels calming
Slow breathing with an extended exhale is widely used as a way to settle down, and many people find that a few minutes of it takes the edge off a racing evening. It is a relaxation exercise. It is not a treatment for insomnia or anxiety, and it will not put you to sleep on command, whatever some headlines say.
The other patterns
| Pattern | Count | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 4-7-8 | In 4, hold 7, out 8 | Winding down in the evening |
| Box breathing | In 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4 | Steadying yourself in the middle of the day |
| Slow 4-6 | In 4, out 6 | Beginners, or anyone who dislikes holding their breath |
Making it part of the evening
Breathing exercises work best as the last step of a routine, not a rescue when you are already lying awake annoyed. Do the day's loose ends first: write tomorrow's list, put the phone down, dim the lights. Then four rounds.
If you have a heart or lung condition, or you are pregnant, check with your doctor before doing breath holds.
Close the day in four minutes
Sleepward: Bedtime Routine is an iPhone and iPad app for the evening itself. Its listing describes a four-minute evening reset with a Brain Dump and tomorrow's three things, then personal time that ends before the bedtime you chose, and a darkening wind-down with white, pink or brown noise.
Get Sleepward on the App StoreFree to download with in-app purchases. Optional Pro adds more soundscapes and world content; check the App Store for current prices. Sleepward is a routine app, not a treatment, and this page is general information, not medical advice.
Honest Little Apps publishes both Sleepward and this page. This is a separate browser tool and does not sync with the app. App details checked November 10, 2026.
On a computer? Open it on your iPhone
