Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing exercise for a long wait — when you have tried everything else
Simple counts — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The pattern is a square — 5, 5, 5, 5 — and you trace it with your breath. This assumes you have already tried the obvious things. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Equal counts give your attention one simple job: keep the four sides the same length. That predictability is most of the effect.
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 your thoughts are moving faster than you are
- before you walk into a room full of people
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
Tips
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
- 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 3-6 breathing — 3 · 6 — for deep focus, if you are doing this in the middle of the day, Physiological sigh (2 · 6) for heavy days, when the house is busy or 4-8 breathing for a long wait, on a day that started badly.