Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing: 4 rounds for Friday evening, if you are tired of apps
A a wider square, once four feels comfortable pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count to 5 on the way in, 5 at the top, 5 on the way out, 5 at the bottom. Repeat. No account, no streak, no notification asking how you feel. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Four sides means four small completions. Each one is a tiny piece of evidence that you can finish something.
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 4 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
Tips
- Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- 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 How to use Soft 4-7-8 breathing for Friday evening, when you have tried everything else, 4-6 breathing exercise for heavy days — when you have more time than usual or 3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for Monday morning, if you are doing this instead of scrolling.