Breathing exercise · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2
Beginner box breathing exercise for a break at work — when nothing else has worked today
Simple counts — 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Four equal sides: 2 in, 2 held, 2 out, 2 held. Nothing else to remember. Nothing else has worked today. That is not a reason to skip this. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
A square is easy to picture, so your mind has something to hold onto that is not the thing worrying you.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 2s | 0s |
| Hold | 2s | 2s |
| Exhale | 2s | 4s |
| Hold again | 2s | 6s |
One round is 8 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
Tips
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- 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 5-2-7 breathing: 12 rounds for a hard week, after a difficult conversation, Coherent 5-5 breathing — 5 · 5 — for a lonely evening, when you want to be left alone or How to use 5-2-7 breathing for travel days, when you have been meaning to start.