Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
How to use Slow box breathing for a reset, when you are somewhere noisy
Rounds of 5 · 5 · 5 · 5, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 5, hold for 5, out for 5, hold for 5. Picture tracing the sides of a square. That is the whole exercise. Noise is fine. You are not trying to hear anything subtle. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
Nothing here depends on you relaxing. You can be tense the whole way through and the pattern still works.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 5s | 0s |
| Hold | 5s | 5s |
| Exhale | 5s | 10s |
| Hold again | 5s | 15s |
One round is 20 seconds. At the default 4 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
Tips
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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 Gentle box breathing — 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 — for physical discomfort, on a day that started badly, Box breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for a hospital waiting room, when you are cold and want to be warm or How to use Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing for a noisy room, if you are new to this.