Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing exercise for days when everything is too much — when you have been on screens all day
A 4 · 4 rhythm — four and four, if five feels like a stretch.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count 4 on the way in and 4 on the way out. Keep them the same length. After a day of screens, the eyes and the shoulders need this first. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
The simplicity is the feature. Under stress, simple is the only thing that survives.
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
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- when you are the only person awake in the house
Tips
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- 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 Coherent 6-6 breathing for the middle of the night, if you are doing this in the middle of the day, How to use 7-11 breathing for the early months, when you need something unremarkable or 4-6 breathing — 4 · 6 — for bedtime, when you want to be left alone.