Breathing exercise · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3
Gentle box breath (3 · 3 · 3 · 3) for coming down after exercise, if you have five quiet minutes
A a smaller square, for when four counts feels long pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 3, hold 3, out for 3, hold 3. The shape stays the same every round. Five quiet minutes is enough. Ten is generous. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
The pauses are short enough that they rarely trigger the urge to gasp, which is what makes it usable in public.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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 — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — for a hospital waiting room, when the weather has kept you inside, Coherent 5-5 breathing exercise for a hospital waiting room — when you are short on time or 5-7 breathing — 5 · 7 — for being unwell, when you are on your own.