Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing: 10 rounds for a big decision, after a difficult conversation
Simple counts — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Difficult conversations leave a residue. This is for the residue. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 160 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- 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.