Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing: 12 rounds
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. Simple is the point. There is no advanced version to graduate to. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
Nothing here depends on you relaxing. You can be tense the whole way through and the pattern still works.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 192 seconds — about 3 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
Tips
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- 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 How to use 4-2-6 breathing, Physiological sigh: 4 rounds for deep focus or 4-8 breathing for a cold morning.