Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing — 4 · 4 — for a ten-minute window, when you cannot concentrate on anything else
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. When concentration is gone, work with what is left. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
Six breaths a minute is slow enough to be noticeable and unremarkable enough to keep up.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 4s | 4s |
One round is 8 seconds. At the default 6 rounds this practice runs 48 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- while you are waiting for something to start
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- 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.