Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing exercise for Monday morning
5 · 5 · 5 · 5 breathing: a wider square, once four feels comfortable.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Four equal sides: 5 in, 5 held, 5 out, 5 held. Nothing else to remember. Scattered attention is the raw material, not an obstacle. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
Because nothing changes from round to round, the exercise stops being interesting — and that is exactly what you want at a difficult moment.
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
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
Tips
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
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 5-7 breathing for a lonely evening, Tight box breathing for travel days or Coherent 4-4 breathing when you are short on time.