Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing — 4 · 4 — for the middle of the night, on a day that started badly
Rounds of 4 · 4, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Match the length of the out-breath to the in-breath — about 4 seconds each way. A day that started badly does not have to stay that way. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
No holds means no urge to gasp, which makes it the easiest version to do in public.
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
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Coherent 5-5 breathing for days when everything is too much, if you are doing this in the middle of the day, Tight box breathing: 12 rounds for a night shift, when you cannot concentrate on anything else or 6-2-6-2 breath (6 · 2 · 6 · 2) for a study session, when you have just finished work.