Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing exercise for a lonely evening — after a long day
A 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 rhythm — a wider square, once four feels comfortable.
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. Use it at the end of a long day, not at the start of one. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
Four sides means four small completions. Each one is a tiny piece of evidence that you can finish something.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 200 seconds — about 3 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- while you are waiting for something to start
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- 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 Double-inhale sigh — 3 · 8 — for the morning after, when you want to be left alone, Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing for a hot day, when you have been putting it off or 4-7-8 breathing for a big decision, when your attention is scattered.