Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing: 5 rounds for a lonely evening, on a day that started badly
A 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 rhythm — a wider square, once four feels comfortable.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 5, hold 5, out for 5, hold 5. The shape stays the same every round. A day that started badly does not have to stay that way. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
The square gives you a way to notice when you have drifted: you lose count, and that tells you where your attention went.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 100 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
Tips
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- 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 Beginner box breath (2 · 2 · 2 · 2) for a hot day, when you need to stop thinking about work, 6-2-6-2 breath (6 · 2 · 6 · 2) for being unwell, after a difficult conversation or Uneven box breathing for a hot day, if you are doing this instead of scrolling.