Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing: 10 rounds for a hard conversation, before you go back to something hard
A 4 · 4 rhythm — four and four, if five feels like a stretch.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Equal breathing: 4 seconds in, 4 seconds out, no holds at all. Five minutes here is cheaper than an hour of grinding. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
It gives your body a rhythm to settle into, without asking it to do anything clever.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 4s | 4s |
One round is 8 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- while you are waiting for something to start
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- No holds means no buildup. The rhythm does all the work.
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 3-6 breathing exercise for physical discomfort — after a long day, 6-2-6-2 breathing — 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 — for a noisy room, after a long day or 3-6 breathing: 8 rounds for the early months, when you want to be left alone.