Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing for exam nerves, when you are short on time
A 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 rhythm — a wider square, once four feels comfortable.
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. Pick this one when you are short on time. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
A square is easy to picture, so your mind has something to hold onto that is not the thing worrying you.
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
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
Tips
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- 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 — 5 · 7 — for a break at work, if you are doing this instead of scrolling, Box breathing: 10 rounds for a noisy room, when you want to be left alone or 2-1-4 breath (2 · 1 · 4) for the middle of the night, when you are doing this for the first time.