Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing: 8 rounds for the morning, when you are somewhere noisy
A 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 rhythm — four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. Picture tracing the sides of a square. That is the whole exercise. Noise is fine. You are not trying to hear anything subtle. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
A square is easy to picture, so your mind has something to hold onto that is not the thing worrying you.
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
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
Tips
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.
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 5-7 breathing for a lonely evening, when you want to be left alone, 3-5-7 breathing — 3 · 5 · 7 — for jet lag, when you are somewhere unfamiliar or 4-7-8 breathing: 10 rounds for a reset, if you are sceptical about all of this.