Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breath (4 · 4) for a grey day
Rounds of 4 · 4, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 4 seconds, out for 4 seconds. Same speed both ways, no pauses. Nothing else has worked today. That is not a reason to skip this. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
At about six breaths a minute, the changes in heart rate and breathing tend to line up. That alignment is the whole idea.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 4s | 4s |
One round is 8 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 40 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
Tips
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- Because there is no pause, you can keep this going while walking or talking.
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 4-7-8 breath for a hospital waiting room, How to use Uneven box breathing or How to use Coherent 5-5 breathing for being unwell.