Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — for bedtime, when you are cold and want to be warm
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. Get a blanket first. Being cold defeats the point. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
The pauses are short enough that they rarely trigger the urge to gasp, which is what makes it usable in public.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 240 seconds — about 4 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- 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 7-11 breathing: 12 rounds for anxious moments, when you want to finish something, Slow box breathing for heavy days, when you cannot concentrate on anything else or Beginner box breathing exercise for a ten-minute window — when you are doing this for the first time.