Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
How to use Box breathing for heavy days
4 · 4 · 4 · 4 breathing: four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Four equal sides: 4 in, 4 held, 4 out, 4 held. Nothing else to remember. Midday is an underrated time for this. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
The equal sides keep your breathing from drifting into the shallow, fast pattern that stress tends to produce.
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 6 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- before a presentation, in the corridor
Tips
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
- 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 5-7 breathing if you are new to this, How to use 4-6 breathing for a hard conversation or 4-8 breathing on a low-energy afternoon.