Box breathing exercise for the commute

How it works

Count to 4 on the way in, 4 at the top, 4 on the way out, 4 at the bottom. Repeat. If this is your first go, stay with the plainest version of the instructions. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.

Why it can help

The rhythm is deliberately unremarkable. Unremarkable is easier to keep up when your hands are shaking.

The pattern, in seconds

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
• when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
• as a way to mark the end of the working day

Tips

• Set a timer for the rounds you want, so you are not watching the clock.
• 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.