Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing exercise for the hours after people leave — if you have done this a hundred times
The pattern is 4 · 4 · 4 · 4, which is four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
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 you have done this a hundred times, change one small thing tonight. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
It is a small, closed loop. Small closed loops are comforting when everything else is open-ended.
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
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- before you walk into a room full of people
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- 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.