Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breath (5 · 5 · 5 · 5) for a reset
Rounds of 5 · 5 · 5 · 5, with the counting done for you.
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. After a day of screens, the eyes and the shoulders need this first. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
Equal breathing tends to even out the differences between your in-breath and out-breath over a few minutes.
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 8 rounds this practice runs 160 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- 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 3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for a big decision, Tight box breathing for a long illness or How to use Coherent 5-5 breathing.