Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing for a long illness, when you are cold and want to be warm
Simple counts — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Get a blanket first. Being cold defeats the point. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
The equal sides keep your breathing from drifting into the shallow, fast pattern that stress tends to produce.
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 your thoughts are moving faster than you are
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
Tips
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- If you lose count, start the round again rather than guessing.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Tight box breathing exercise for exam nerves — when you are not in the mood, Beginner box breathing — 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 — for the morning after, when you are at home and cannot settle or How to use 5-7 breathing for a grey day, when you feel restless rather than tired.