4-7-8 Breathing Worksheet Overview
4-7-8 breathing is a pattern where you breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 7, and breathe out for 8. Dr. Andrew Weil made it popular, building on breathing practices from yoga, and many people use it to calm down or to help them fall asleep.
This worksheet walks you through the pattern step by step and shares tips for practicing safely. It also gives you a log to track how stressed you feel before and after, and space to plan when you will use it.
In this worksheet, we’ll:
- Explain the 4-7-8 pattern and how to do one round of four breaths
- Share why a long, slow breath out can help you feel calmer
- Give you tips for practicing safely as you get started
- Provide a log to rate your stress before and after each practice
- Help you plan the moments when you will use it
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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.
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Zaccaro, A., 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.
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