Breathing exercise · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3
Gentle box breathing — 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 — for a ten-minute window, if you are fitting this around other people
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. It is designed to fit around other people’s schedules. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
Because the counts are the same in and out, your body does not have to decide anything. It just follows.
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 4 rounds this practice runs 48 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
Tips
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- 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 4-6 breath (4 · 6) for the morning after, if you are sceptical about all of this, 4-8 breathing — 4 · 8 — for Monday morning, when you have woken up too early or Uneven box breathing exercise for a work break — if you have five quiet minutes.