Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing for bedtime, when you have been putting it off
A four equal sides, like tracing a square pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, hold 4, out for 4, hold 4. The shape stays the same every round. You have been putting this off. Starting is the only step that matters. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
Equal breathing tends to even out the differences between your in-breath and out-breath over a few minutes.
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 you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
Tips
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- It is fine to breathe through your mouth if your nose is blocked. Nose is usually easier.
- 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 Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing: 4 rounds for the middle of the night, when you need something unremarkable, Physiological sigh for a reset, after a long day or 4-2-6 breathing exercise for a noisy room — when you have been putting it off.