Breathing exercise · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2
Beginner box breathing for deep focus, when the weather has kept you inside
Simple counts — 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count to 2 on the way in, 2 at the top, 2 on the way out, 2 at the bottom. Repeat. Bad weather is a decent excuse to stay in and do this. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Nothing here depends on you relaxing. You can be tense the whole way through and the pattern still works.
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 4 rounds this practice runs 32 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- while you are waiting for something to start
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
Tips
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- 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: 5 rounds for a lonely evening, when you only have a few minutes, 4-7-8 breathing exercise for jet lag — when you want to finish something or How to use 4-6 breathing for a grey day, when you are on your own.