Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for a hot day, when you are short on time
A four equal sides, like tracing a square pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Four equal sides: 4 in, 4 held, 4 out, 4 held. Nothing else to remember. Pick this one when you are short on time. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
The equal sides keep your breathing from drifting into the shallow, fast pattern that stress tends to produce.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 4s | 4s |
| Exhale | 4s | 8s |
| Hold again | 4s | 12s |
One round is 16 seconds. At the default 6 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- before you walk into a room full of people
Tips
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.
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 How to use 7-11 breathing for a study session, when you are on your own, Coherent 6-6 breath (6 · 6) for days when everything is too much, when you want something simple or 4-7-8 breathing exercise for a grey day — when you are not sure this will work.