Breathing exercise · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2
How to use Beginner box breathing for the morning, when you have tried everything else
2 · 2 · 2 · 2 breathing: the easiest version of the square.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Four equal sides: 2 in, 2 held, 2 out, 2 held. Nothing else to remember. This assumes you have already tried the obvious things. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
The holds are brief. Long enough to notice, short enough to be unremarkable.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 2s | 0s |
| Hold | 2s | 2s |
| Exhale | 2s | 4s |
| Hold again | 2s | 6s |
One round is 8 seconds. At the default 6 rounds this practice runs 48 seconds — about a 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
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
Tips
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- 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 How to use Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing for a big decision, when you are somewhere noisy, Slow box breathing — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — for Sunday evening, when you are too tired to try hard or Soft 4-7-8 breathing: 4 rounds for a hospital waiting room, when you are doing this for the first time.