Box breathing for a hospital waiting room

How it works

Count to 4 on the way in, 4 at the top, 4 on the way out, 4 at the bottom. Repeat. Scattered attention is the raw material, not an obstacle. Let the physical world hold your attention.

Why it can help

This is a composure exercise more than a calming one. It gives you something to do while a feeling passes.

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 5 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
before you walk into a room full of people

Tips

Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
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.