Breathing exercise · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3
Gentle box breathing when you want
A 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 rhythm — a smaller square, for when four counts feels long.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count to 3 on the way in, 3 at the top, 3 on the way out, 3 at the bottom. Repeat. Nothing here asks anything of you socially. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Four sides means four small completions. Each one is a tiny piece of evidence that you can finish something.
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 6 rounds this practice runs 72 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
Tips
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- 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 4-8 breathing for a noisy room, 2-1-4 breath (2 · 1 · 4) for a long illness or 3-6 breathing: 6 rounds for a break at work.