Breathing exercise · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3
Gentle box breathing for a hard week, if you are tired of apps
Rounds of 3 · 3 · 3 · 3, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The pattern is a square — 3, 3, 3, 3 — and you trace it with your breath. No account, no streak, no notification asking how you feel. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
Nothing about it asks you to feel different afterwards. That takes the pressure off entirely.
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
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
Tips
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- 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.