Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
How to use Box breathing for a big decision
Simple counts — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, hold 4, out for 4, hold 4. The shape stays the same every round. Nothing else has worked today. That is not a reason to skip this. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
The rhythm is deliberately unremarkable. Unremarkable is easier to keep up when your hands are shaking.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 4s | 4s |
| Exhale | 4s | 8s |
| Hold again | 4s | 12s |
One round is 16 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 192 seconds — about 3 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
Tips
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.
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 5-2-7 breath (5 · 2 · 7) for anxious moments, How to use 4-7-8 breathing for deep focus or Double-inhale sigh: 10 rounds for the early months.