Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing: 5 rounds for a long wait, when you are not in the mood
Simple counts — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Not being in the mood is a normal starting point. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
The rhythm is deliberately unremarkable. Unremarkable is easier to keep up when your hands are shaking.
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 the afternoon has gone flat
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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.