Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing exercise for a lonely evening — when you are too tired to try hard
4 · 4 · 4 · 4 breathing: four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Four equal sides: 4 in, 4 held, 4 out, 4 held. Nothing else to remember. Too tired to try hard is exactly the right amount of tired for this. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Equal counts give your attention one simple job: keep the four sides the same length. That predictability is most of the effect.
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
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
Tips
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- 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 Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing exercise for a break at work — if you are tired of apps, How to use Slow box breathing for deep focus, when you have more time than usual or Gentle box breath (3 · 3 · 3 · 3) for the early months, when nothing else has worked today.