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4-7-8 Breathing for Kids

Breathe in for four, hold for seven, out for eight — with a Pal leading each round and the light showing you where you are. Blue to breathe in, purple to hold, green to breathe out.

  • Made for bedtimeThe long exhale is the part that settles a busy body.
  • Four rounds is a sessionLong enough to work, short enough that kids stay with it.
  • A Pal counts for themNo counting out loud, no clock — just follow the colour.
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4-7-8 breathing, adapted for children

4-7-8 is a paced breathing pattern popularised by Dr Andrew Weil: breathe in through the nose for four counts, hold for seven, breathe out through the mouth for eight. What makes it useful is the ratio — the exhale is twice the inhale, and a long, slow out-breath is the part most associated with the body settling.

When to use it

Bedtime, mostly. It is also a reasonable choice after a hard moment has passed and a child is calm enough to hold a breath — but not in the middle of crying, when a seven-count hold is simply not available. For that, short sniffs in and a long blow out works better.

Shortening it for younger children

Seven counts is a long hold for a five-year-old. Keep the shape and shrink the numbers: 2-3-4 or 3-4-5 with the same "hold is the middle, out is the longest" idea. As they get comfortable, stretch it out. Nobody should feel short of breath — if they do, drop the hold entirely and just make the exhale longer than the inhale.

How to run a round

  1. Sit or lie down somewhere comfortable, lights low if it is bedtime.
  2. Press start and let the Pal lead — nobody needs to count out loud.
  3. Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth, softly.
  4. Four rounds is a full session. Stop earlier if they are done.

A note on expectations

Breathing exercises are a skill, not a switch. The first few times, most children are mainly interested in the light. That is fine — that is the practice. The value shows up weeks later, when a child reaches for it without being asked. Our longer guide covers this in more depth: 4-7-8 breathing for kids.

Best at bedtime

The long exhale suits winding down more than firing up.

Shrink the counts

2-3-4 keeps the shape without the strain for little lungs.

Stop if dizzy

Holds should feel easy. If not, breathe normally and try shorter counts.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What is 4-7-8 breathing?

A paced pattern: in through the nose for four counts, hold for seven, out through the mouth for eight. The exhale being twice the inhale is the point of it.

Is 4-7-8 safe for children?

For healthy children, slow breathing is safe. Seven counts is long for a young child, so shorten the counts and drop the hold if it feels like a struggle. Check with your doctor first if your child has a respiratory condition.

What age can start?

Around 6 for the full pattern. Younger children do better with a shortened version, or with balloon breathing.

How many rounds?

Four is a standard session, and plenty for a child. More is not better.

Does it help with sleep?

Many families use it as part of a bedtime routine, and slow paced breathing is widely used for winding down. It is a routine, not a sleep treatment — if your child has ongoing sleep problems, talk to your paediatrician.

Can we do this without a screen?

Yes. Breathing Pal runs 4-7-8 as a glowing light you hold, so bedtime does not need a device.

All FAQs

Do it at bedtime, without a screen

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