Breathing exercise · 2 · 1 · 4
How to use 2-1-4 breathing for the end of the working day, when you are short on time
Simple counts — 2 · 1 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 2, hold for 1, then let the breath go for 4 counts. Pick this one when you are short on time. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
The exhale is doing the counting for you, which means you have less attention left over to worry with.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 2s | 0s |
| Hold | 1s | 2s |
| Exhale | 4s | 3s |
One round is 7 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 35 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
Tips
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- 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 Uneven box breath (4 · 4 · 6 · 2) for heavy days, if you have done this a hundred times, 7-11 breathing: 4 rounds for the middle of the night, when you cannot concentrate on anything else or Gentle box breathing — 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 — for a lonely evening, when you are short on time.