Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — for a long illness, when you want something simple
Simple counts — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Simple is the point. There is no advanced version to graduate to. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
The equal sides keep your breathing from drifting into the shallow, fast pattern that stress tends to produce.
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 you are the only person awake in the house
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
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 Double-inhale sigh for a cold morning, when you need to stop thinking about work, How to use 4-8 breathing for a long illness, when you are too tired to try hard or Beginner box breath (2 · 2 · 2 · 2) for the end of the working day, when you feel fine and want to stay that way.