How to use Tight box breathing for days when everything is too much, before something difficult (4 · 1 · 4 · 1)

How it works

Count to 4 on the way in, 1 at the top, 4 on the way out, 1 at the bottom. Repeat. It works best in the hour before something difficult. Let the physical world hold your attention.

Why it can help

Because nothing changes from round to round, the exercise stops being interesting — and that is exactly what you want at a difficult moment.

The pattern, in seconds

Phase	Length	Starts at
Inhale	4s	0s
Hold	1s	4s
Exhale	4s	5s
Hold again	1s	9s

One round is 10 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 50 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
before a presentation, in the corridor
when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears

Tips

If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
It is fine to breathe through your mouth if your nose is blocked. Nose is usually easier.
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.