Breathing exercise · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2
Beginner box breathing exercise for a night shift — if you are fitting this around other people
Rounds of 2 · 2 · 2 · 2, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 2, hold 2, out for 2, hold 2. The shape stays the same every round. It is designed to fit around other people’s schedules. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
Nothing about it asks you to feel different afterwards. That takes the pressure off entirely.
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
- just before you have to say something difficult
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
Tips
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- 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 Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing exercise for Sunday evening — when you are waiting for something, 4-6 breathing for coming down after exercise, when nothing else has worked today or 2-1-4 breath (2 · 1 · 4) for a hospital waiting room, when you feel restless rather than tired.