Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
How to use Tight box breathing for Monday morning, when you are short on time
A barely any hold, for people who dislike holding pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The pattern is a square — 4, 1, 4, 1 — and you trace it with your breath. Pick this one when you are short on time. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
The rhythm is deliberately unremarkable. Unremarkable is easier to keep up when your hands are shaking.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- just before you have to say something difficult
Tips
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
- 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 7-11 breathing — 7 · 11 — for a lonely evening, when you are cold and want to be warm, 3-6 breathing exercise for a big decision — if you have done this a hundred times or 5-7 breathing exercise for a hot day — when you are not in the mood.