# How to do 7-11 breathing > To do 7-11 breathing, breathe in gently through your nose for a count of 7, then breathe out slowly for a count of 11, with no holds. Keep going for 5 to 10 minutes. If 7 and 11 feel too long, shorten both counts. What matters is that the out-breath stays longer than the in-breath. Canonical: https://hellobirch.app/guides/7-11-breathing Updated: 2026-11-03 Publisher: Birch (Tsukemen.io) ## 7-11 breathing, step by step 1. **Get comfortable** (15 sec): Sit or lie down. Let your jaw and shoulders soften. Place a hand on your belly so you can feel it rise and fall. 2. **Breathe in for 7** (7 sec): Breathe in gently through your nose for a count of seven, letting the belly expand rather than lifting the chest. 3. **Breathe out for 11** (11 sec): Breathe out slowly and smoothly for a count of eleven, through your nose or softly through your mouth. Don't push the last bit of air out. 4. **Go straight into the next breath**: There are no holds. When the out-breath ends, start the next in-breath. 5. **Continue for 5 to 10 minutes** (5–10 min): Keep the rhythm going. If your mind wanders, bring it back to the count. 6. **Finish gently** (30 sec): Return to normal breathing for a few breaths before you get up. ## What 7-11 breathing is 7-11 breathing is a two-part pattern: a 7-count in-breath and an 11-count out-breath. Student Minds, the UK student mental health charity, describes it as an exercise to reduce stress in the moment, and says regular practice may help you feel calmer generally. In Birch it is called **Gentle Wave**. The long, unhurried out-breath is the core of it. There are no holds, which is why many people find it gentler than [4-7-8](https://hellobirch.app/guides/4-7-8-breathing) or [box breathing](https://hellobirch.app/guides/box-breathing). In Birch, one count is one second, so one breath takes 18 seconds, a little over three breaths a minute. If 11 seconds out feels too long at first, shorten both numbers and build up. ## Is 7-11 breathing an NHS technique? People often search for "7-11 breathing NHS." The NHS's own breathing exercise for stress is a little different. It asks you to breathe in and out steadily, counting from 1 to 5 if that helps, and to keep going for at least 5 minutes, ideally as part of a daily routine. 7-11 builds on the same idea of slow, regular breathing, with a longer out-breath. If 7-11 feels like a stretch, the NHS 5-and-5 rhythm is a fine place to start. ## Who it's for 7-11 suits people who find breath holds uncomfortable, and anyone who wants something to do for a few minutes, not just a few breaths: on a train, in a waiting room, or lying in bed. It is one of the patterns in our [breathing for sleep](https://hellobirch.app/guides/breathing-exercises-for-sleep) guide. ## Common mistakes - **Forcing the full count.** If 11 makes you gasp on the next breath, try 5 in and 8 out, or 4 in and 6 out. Keep the out-breath longer. - **Chest breathing.** Student Minds recommends deep, diaphragmatic breathing. Let the belly move, not the shoulders. - **Squeezing out the last air.** The out-breath should feel like a slow sigh, not an effort. - **Stopping after a minute.** 7-11 works more like a short session than a quick reset. Give it at least a few minutes. ## How long to practice Student Minds suggests 5 to 10 minutes, or longer if you can. The NHS suggests at least 5 minutes for its similar exercise. On busy days, a couple of minutes is still worth doing. For a routine, pick one moment every day, such as getting into bed, and keep it there. See [how to build a daily breathing habit](https://hellobirch.app/guides/daily-breathing-habit). ## 7-11 with Birch Birch's Gentle Wave preset paces the 7-11 rhythm for you, so you can stop counting and just follow. Set a time, like 5 minutes, or a number of cycles. On Apple Watch, haptic cues mark each in- and out-breath, which is handy in bed or on a commute. ## FAQ ### How long should you do 7-11 breathing? 5 to 10 minutes is the usual suggestion (Student Minds). Start with a couple of minutes if that is all you have. ### What if I can't breathe out for 11? Shorten both numbers, for example 5 in and 8 out, then build up. The point is a longer out-breath than in-breath, not hitting exactly 11. ### Is 7-11 breathing from the NHS? The NHS's breathing exercise for stress uses a steady count of up to 5 in and 5 out for at least 5 minutes. 7-11 is a separate pattern taught by Student Minds and others. Both are slow, regular breathing. ### 7-11 vs 4-7-8: what's the difference? 7-11 has no holds and is meant for several minutes. [4-7-8](https://hellobirch.app/guides/4-7-8-breathing) adds a 7-count hold and is done as a short set of four breaths. Both have a long exhale. ### Can I do 7-11 breathing lying down? Yes. Lying on your back with your knees bent is comfortable, and it's a natural way to wind down in bed. ## Practice with Birch Birch is a free iPhone and Apple Watch app with six breathing patterns (Weil Method 4-7-8, Box 4-4-4-4, Gentle Wave 7-11, Balance 3-3-6-3 (inhale 3, hold 3, exhale 6, hold 3), Heart Coherence 6-6, Slow-Paced 4-6) and simple daily habit tracking. No ads, no account, no subscription. App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/birch-breathe-relax-sleep/id6449722381 ## Related guides - [How to do 4-7-8 breathing](https://hellobirch.app/guides/4-7-8-breathing) - [How to do 4-6 breathing](https://hellobirch.app/guides/4-6-breathing) - [Breathing exercises for sleep](https://hellobirch.app/guides/breathing-exercises-for-sleep) ## Sources - [Student Minds — 7-11 breathing exercise](https://www.studentminds.org.uk/advice-and-info/7-11-breathing-exercise/) - [NHS — Breathing exercises for stress](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/breathing-exercises-for-stress/) - [Zaccaro et al., 2018. How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30245619/) --- Birch supports general wellness and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.