Breathing exercise · 4 · 4
Coherent 4-4 breathing for the morning, when you have just finished work
A 4 · 4 rhythm — 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. The gap right after work is the easiest one to use. Stay with what you can actually feel.
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 6 rounds this practice runs 48 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- No holds means no buildup. The rhythm does all the work.
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 Box breathing: 8 rounds for the morning, when you are somewhere noisy, Coherent 6-6 breathing exercise for a noisy room — when you have just finished work or 3-5-7 breathing — 3 · 5 · 7 — for a hot day, when you are short on time.