Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing exercise for a hot day — if you have five quiet minutes
A a wider square, once four feels comfortable pattern, counted for you on screen.
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. Five quiet minutes is enough. Ten is generous. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
Nothing here depends on you relaxing. You can be tense the whole way through and the pattern still works.
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
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- while you are waiting for something to start
Tips
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- 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.