Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — for the middle of the night, when you have woken up too early
Simple counts — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Waking too early is a specific kind of frustrating. This helps with the frustration. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
The square gives you a way to notice when you have drifted: you lose count, and that tells you where your attention went.
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 4 rounds this practice runs 64 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- just before you have to say something difficult
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
Tips
- If you lose count, start the round again rather than guessing.
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- 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 Coherent 5-5 breathing for a reset, when you are too tired to try hard, 5-2-7 breath (5 · 2 · 7) for a break at work, when your attention is scattered or Slow box breathing exercise for a reset — when you are short on time.