Breathing exercise · 2 · 1 · 4
2-1-4 breathing: 12 rounds for a break at work
A short in, short hold, long out — the smallest useful dose pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 2 in, hold for 1, 4 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. Work thoughts are allowed to be there. They just do not get to drive. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
Long exhales are easy to do quietly, at a desk, in a queue, without anyone noticing.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 2s | 0s |
| Hold | 1s | 2s |
| Exhale | 4s | 3s |
One round is 7 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 84 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
Please note
If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Coherent 4-4 breathing, Coherent 5-5 breathing: 6 rounds for a hot day or 3-5-7 breathing for the hours after people leave, when you have woken up too early.