Breathing exercise · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3
Gentle box breath (3 · 3 · 3 · 3) for Sunday evening, when you need something unremarkable
Rounds of 3 · 3 · 3 · 3, with the counting done for you.
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. Nothing dramatic happens here, and that is deliberate. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
A square is easy to picture, so your mind has something to hold onto that is not the thing worrying you.
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
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
- when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
- 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 4-7-8 breathing exercise for the end of the working day — when you are doing this for the first time, Coherent 5-5 breathing for a hot day, when you want something simple or Coherent 4-4 breath (4 · 4) for a long illness, when you have been on screens all day.