Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing for a noisy room, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
Rounds of 5 · 5 · 5 · 5, with the counting done for you.
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. It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
The equal sides keep your breathing from drifting into the shallow, fast pattern that stress tends to produce.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 240 seconds — about 4 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
Tips
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- Set a timer for the rounds you want, so you are not watching the clock.
- 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.