Breathing exercise · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3
Gentle box breathing — 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 — for heavy days, when you feel restless rather than tired
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. Restless is different from tired, and it needs a different approach. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
Equal counts give your attention one simple job: keep the four sides the same length. That predictability is most of the effect.
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
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- when you are the only person awake in the house
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- 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.