How to use Box breathing for a lonely evening

How it works

Four equal sides: 4 in, 4 held, 4 out, 4 held. Nothing else to remember. Feeling fine is a good reason to do this, not a reason to skip it. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.

Why it can help

The holds are not there to test your lungs. They give the nervous system a steady, repeating shape to lean on.

The pattern, in seconds

One round is 16 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 128 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

• on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
• when the weather has been grey for a week
• before you open the email you have been avoiding

Tips

• If you lose count, start the round again rather than guessing.
• Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
• 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.