Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing: 8 rounds for the early months, when you have been meaning to start
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. You have been meaning to start. This is the least intimidating way in. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
Equal breathing tends to even out the differences between your in-breath and out-breath over a few minutes.
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 8 rounds this practice runs 128 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- before you walk into a room full of people
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- If you lose count, start the round again rather than guessing.
- 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 Uneven box breath (4 · 4 · 6 · 2) for the commute, when you are not sure this will work, Beginner box breathing — 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 — for a reset, before you go back to something hard or How to use Physiological sigh for bedtime, when you are short on time.