Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
How to use Slow box breathing for jet lag, if you are tired of apps
5 · 5 · 5 · 5 breathing: a wider square, once four feels comfortable.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The pattern is a square — 5, 5, 5, 5 — and you trace it with your breath. No account, no streak, no notification asking how you feel. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
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 | 5s | 0s |
| Hold | 5s | 5s |
| Exhale | 5s | 10s |
| Hold again | 5s | 15s |
One round is 20 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 200 seconds — about 3 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- Set a timer for the rounds you want, so you are not watching the clock.
- 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 3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for a long wait, when you want something simple, How to use Soft 4-7-8 breathing for Friday evening, when you have tried everything else or 4-7-8 breathing exercise for deep focus — when you have been on screens all day.