Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — for a night shift, when you have been on screens all day
A four equal sides, like tracing a square pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Four equal sides: 4 in, 4 held, 4 out, 4 held. Nothing else to remember. After a day of screens, the eyes and the shoulders need this first. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
This is a composure exercise more than a calming one. It gives you something to do while a feeling passes.
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 day has been fine but you still feel braced
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
Tips
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you 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.