Box breathing: 6 rounds for the commute, if you are new to this

How it works

Count to 4 on the way in, 4 at the top, 4 on the way out, 4 at the bottom. Repeat. Nothing here assumes you have done this before. The body is the most reliable place to begin.

Why it can help

Because nothing changes from round to round, the exercise stops being interesting — and that is exactly what you want at a difficult moment.

The pattern, in seconds

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

• on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
• at the start of a study session, to set the tone
• at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment

Tips

• Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
• Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
• If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.

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.