Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing for a night shift, if you have done this a hundred times
A four equal sides, like tracing a square pattern, counted for you on screen.
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. If you have done this a hundred times, change one small thing tonight. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
A square is easy to picture, so your mind has something to hold onto that is not the thing worrying you.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 192 seconds — about 3 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- before you walk into a room full of people
Tips
- Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Beginner box breath (2 · 2 · 2 · 2) for a cold morning, when you have tried everything else, How to use 7-11 breathing for a noisy room, if you are doing this in the middle of the day or Beginner box breath (2 · 2 · 2 · 2) for days when everything is too much, after a difficult conversation.