Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing exercise for a hard week — when you are waiting for something
4 · 4 breathing: four and four, if five feels like a stretch.
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. Waiting is dead time you can spend on this instead. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
It is a good first exercise if every other pattern feels like too many instructions.
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
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- 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 Beginner box breathing for Sunday evening, when you have already had a long week, 4-2-6 breathing: 4 rounds for Friday evening, on a day that started badly or 2-1-4 breathing for Friday evening, when you are cold and want to be warm.