Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing — 4 · 4 — for the early months, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
The pattern is 4 · 4, which is 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. It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- when the afternoon has gone flat
Tips
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- 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 How to use 3-6 breathing for creative work, when you have been meaning to start, 3-6 breathing — 3 · 6 — for the morning after, when you are doing this for the first time or 4-8 breathing — 4 · 8 — for heavy days, when you cannot concentrate on anything else.