Gentle box breath (3 · 3 · 3 · 3) for the commute, when you are somewhere unfamiliar (3 · 3 · 3 · 3)

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. It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas. Stay with what you can actually feel.

Why it can help

This is a composure exercise more than a calming one. It gives you something to do while a feeling passes.

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

at the start of a study session, to set the tone
when you are the only person awake in the house
when your thoughts are moving faster than you are

Tips

If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
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.