Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breath (5 · 5 · 5 · 5) for bedtime, when you have tried everything else
A a wider square, once four feels comfortable pattern, counted for you on screen.
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. This assumes you have already tried the obvious things. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
It is a small, closed loop. Small closed loops are comforting when everything else is open-ended.
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 6 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- 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.