Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing — 4 · 4 — for Sunday evening, when you need to stop thinking about work
4 · 4 breathing: four and four, if five feels like a stretch.
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. Work thoughts are allowed to be there. They just do not get to drive. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
Because the counts match, there is nothing to remember except "same speed both ways".
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 4s | 4s |
One round is 8 seconds. At the default 4 rounds this practice runs 32 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- while you are waiting for something to start
- when the weather has been grey for a week
Tips
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- 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 Soft 4-7-8 breathing for anxious moments, when you are cold and want to be warm, 5-2-7 breath (5 · 2 · 7) for a long illness, when you are somewhere unfamiliar or Coherent 5-5 breathing exercise for the morning after — when you need something unremarkable.