Breathing exercise · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3
Gentle box breathing: 8 rounds for the end of the working day, when you only have a few minutes
3 · 3 · 3 · 3 breathing: a smaller square, for when four counts feels long.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Four equal sides: 3 in, 3 held, 3 out, 3 held. Nothing else to remember. A few minutes is the whole requirement. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
Because nothing changes from round to round, the exercise stops being interesting — and that is exactly what you want at a difficult moment.
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 8 rounds this practice runs 96 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
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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 How to use 4-2-6 breathing for a cold morning, if you are tired of apps, 6-2-6-2 breathing for the hours after people leave, when you have been on screens all day or 4-6 breathing exercise for a hard week — when you feel fine and want to stay that way.