Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
Box breathing for Friday evening, if you are doing this instead of scrolling
A four equal sides, like tracing a square pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The pattern is a square — 4, 4, 4, 4 — and you trace it with your breath. Choosing this over scrolling counts as a good decision, even a small one. Stay with what you can actually feel.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 160 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- 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.