Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing: 8 rounds for physical discomfort, when your attention is scattered
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
Breathe in for 4 seconds, out for 4 seconds. Same speed both ways, no pauses. Scattered attention is the raw material, not an obstacle. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
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 8 rounds this practice runs 64 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- while you are waiting for something to start
- when you are the only person awake in the house
Tips
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- There are no holds in this one, which makes it a good choice if breath-holding makes you anxious.
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 3-6 breathing for a grey day, when your attention is scattered, 3-6 breath (3 · 6) for a hard week, when you want to finish something or Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing: 5 rounds for a stolen moment of caregiving, when you are somewhere noisy.