Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing for Monday morning, after eating too much
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
In for 4, out for 4, with nothing held in between. Repeat for as long as you have. Do this sitting up, not lying down, if you have just eaten. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
At about six breaths a minute, the changes in heart rate and breathing tend to line up. That alignment is the whole idea.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 4s | 4s |
One round is 8 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 40 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- 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.