Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for a reset, when the day has been loud
A 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 rhythm — four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count to 4 on the way in, 4 at the top, 4 on the way out, 4 at the bottom. Repeat. For days that were loud from the moment they started. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
Four sides means four small completions. Each one is a tiny piece of evidence that you can finish something.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 160 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
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 Physiological sigh: 5 rounds for the middle of the night, when you are somewhere noisy, Coherent 5-5 breathing for creative work, when you are short on time or Beginner box breathing for the middle of the night, when you are waiting for something.