Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for heated moments, when you are not sure this will work
4 · 4 · 4 · 4 breathing: four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The pattern is a square — 4, 4, 4, 4 — and you trace it with your breath. Not being sure it will work is a perfectly good reason to try it once. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
You can do it silently, in a meeting, without anyone knowing. That matters more than it sounds.
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 the weather has been grey for a week
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
Tips
- Set a timer for the rounds you want, so you are not watching the clock.
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- 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 Tight box breathing: 4 rounds for the morning, after eating too much, 5-2-7 breathing — 5 · 2 · 7 — for the morning, when you want something simple or 6-2-6-2 breathing — 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 — for physical discomfort, when you have been putting it off.