Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing — 4 · 4 — for a night shift, when you are short on time
A four and four, if five feels like a stretch pattern, counted for you on screen.
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. Pick this one when you are short on time. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
- just before you have to say something difficult
Tips
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Nothing is held here, so there is no moment where you are waiting for permission to breathe.
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 4-6 breathing exercise for a hard week — when you feel fine and want to stay that way, 5-7 breathing — 5 · 7 — for Friday evening, when you are short on time or Coherent 6-6 breathing for travel days, when you are at home and cannot settle.