Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing exercise for days when everything is too much — if you are new to this
A 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 rhythm — 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. Nothing here assumes you have done this before. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Because the counts are the same in and out, your body does not have to decide anything. It just follows.
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
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
Tips
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- 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.