Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing exercise for being unwell — when you are short on time
Simple counts — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Pick this one when you are short on time. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
Nothing here depends on you relaxing. You can be tense the whole way through and the pattern still works.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 160 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- 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 4-8 breath (4 · 8) for the middle of the night, Coherent 5-5 breathing for heavy days or Beginner box breathing: 10 rounds for coming down after exercise, before something difficult.