Breathing exercise · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3
Gentle box breath (3 · 3 · 3 · 3) for bedtime, when you are on your own
3 · 3 · 3 · 3 breathing: a smaller square, for when four counts feels long.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 3, hold for 3, out for 3, hold for 3. Picture tracing the sides of a square. That is the whole exercise. Being on your own is not required, but it does make this simpler. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
The holds are brief. Long enough to notice, short enough to be unremarkable.
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 8 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
Tips
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
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: 10 rounds for a noisy room, when you want to be left alone, 2-1-4 breathing for coming down after exercise, when you have been on screens all day or 2-1-4 breath (2 · 1 · 4) for jet lag, after a difficult conversation.