Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing — 4 · 4 — for being unwell, when you have woken up too early
Rounds of 4 · 4, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Equal breathing: 4 seconds in, 4 seconds out, no holds at all. Waking too early is a specific kind of frustrating. This helps with the frustration. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
You are not trying to relax. You are giving your system a slower, even rhythm and letting it respond however it responds.
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 someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
Tips
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- 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.