Breathing exercise · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3
Gentle box breath (3 · 3 · 3 · 3) for a night shift, when you are at home and cannot settle
3 · 3 · 3 · 3 breathing: a smaller square, for when four counts feels long.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count to 3 on the way in, 3 at the top, 3 on the way out, 3 at the bottom. Repeat. Being at home and unable to settle is a very specific problem. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
It works because it is boring. Boring rhythms are the ones you can actually follow under pressure.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Hold | 3s | 3s |
| Exhale | 3s | 6s |
| Hold again | 3s | 9s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 144 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
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 How to use Double-inhale sigh for a hard week, when you feel restless rather than tired, 2-1-4 breathing — 2 · 1 · 4 — for the early months, when nothing else has worked today or 4-7-8 breathing exercise for the end of the working day — when you are doing this for the first time.