Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — for a break at work, if you have done this a hundred times
5 · 5 · 5 · 5 breathing: a wider square, once four feels comfortable.
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. If you have done this a hundred times, change one small thing tonight. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
Steady counts slow the breath down without you having to think about slowing the breath down.
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
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
Tips
- Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
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 6-2-6-2 breath (6 · 2 · 6 · 2) for a ten-minute window, if you are doing this instead of scrolling, Soft 4-7-8 breathing for anxious moments, when you are cold and want to be warm or 3-6 breathing: 5 rounds for being unwell, when you have been putting it off.