Lazy 8 breathingfigure 8 breathing

How do you do lazy 8 breathing?

Press Start and follow the dot, or draw a big sideways 8 on paper and trace it together.

For children of 4 to 6, use a slower, shorter version: 3 seconds each way.

Ready?

Start In 3 · out 3 · 3 breaths · 0:18

For you, once they’re asleepTry 4-6 breathing: it’s Unwind in the app, free

Is infinity breathing the same thing?

Yes. Lazy 8, figure 8, figure eight and infinity breathing are four names for one exercise. The only difference you’ll find is where people start: some begin at the top of a loop instead of the middle. Starting in the middle is easier, because the crossing point marks the turn from breathing in to breathing out. For grown-ups, Breathform uses a soft tone the same way, to mark each turn.

Why trace a lazy 8 instead of a circle?

A circle has no clear halfway point, so it’s hard to know when to switch. The lazy 8 has one built in: the crossing in the middle. One loop for in, one loop for out, and the eyes and finger always know which part of the breath they’re on.

You may read that tracing lazy 8s “connects the two sides of the brain”. That hasn’t been shown. The simpler reason is good enough: it’s a smooth path with no corners and no end, which makes a steady rhythm easy to follow.

Lazy 8 breathing hasn’t been studied as a technique. Its even rhythm, the same length in and out, is the shape of coherent breathing, which adults practise at a slower 5 in and 5 out.

What’s the best way to use it with kids?

Before homework, after a run around, or in the minute before a class settles: it’s good for wiggly bodies, because the finger keeps moving the whole time. Let older children draw their own lazy 8 on a whiteboard and lead the group. For animations to show on a classroom screen, see breathing animations. If your child likes tracing, rainbow breathing and star breathing are next, and there are more in breathing exercises for kids.

Questions people ask

Is there a lazy 8 printable?

It’s the easiest shape to draw: a big 8 lying on its side, across a whole sheet of paper. Put a dot in the middle where the lines cross and write “in” on the left loop and “out” on the right. Older children like to go over it in a new colour each lap. Ready-made cards are collected on printable breathing exercises.

How many loops should we do?

Five laps, about 40 seconds, suits most children. Each lap is one full breath: in round one loop, out round the other. Younger children may manage three. The lazy 8 has no corners and no end, so it’s easy to keep going; stop while your child is still enjoying it, not when they’ve had enough.

Can kids trace a lazy 8 with their eyes?

Yes, and it’s a lovely quiet version for the classroom or bed. Draw a big lazy 8 in the air with your thumb, and ask your child to follow your thumb with their eyes, head still, breathing with the loops. Once they know it, they can picture the 8 with their eyes closed.

What age is lazy 8 breathing for?

It suits most children from about 4 to 10, and many older children and adults like it too. Little ones need it slower and shorter: 3 seconds each way, three laps, with you tracing alongside. Older children can usually follow the loops on their own, and some can keep the rhythm without the drawing.