Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for jet lag, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
The pattern is 4 · 4 · 4 · 4, which is four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, hold 4, out for 4, hold 4. The shape stays the same every round. It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
Equal breathing tends to even out the differences between your in-breath and out-breath over a few minutes.
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 are tired but cannot afford to be
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- 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 Physiological sigh (2 · 6) for creative work, when you want to finish something, Soft 4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 4 · 8 — for a hot day, after a difficult conversation or How to use Slow box breathing for heated moments, when you are at home and cannot settle.