Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing: 6 rounds for a break at work, when you are too tired to try hard
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
The pattern is a square — 4, 4, 4, 4 — and you trace it with your breath. Too tired to try hard is exactly the right amount of tired for this. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
Steady counts slow the breath down without you having to think about slowing the breath down.
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 have five minutes and no idea where to start
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- before a presentation, in the corridor
Tips
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- It is fine to breathe through your mouth if your nose is blocked. Nose is usually easier.
- 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 4-7-8 breathing exercise for jet lag — when you want to finish something, Gentle box breath (3 · 3 · 3 · 3) for a noisy room, when you are not in the mood or Coherent 5-5 breathing — 5 · 5 — for Friday evening, when you have been meaning to start.