Breathing exercise · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5
Slow box breathing for the commute, when you feel restless rather than tired
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. Restless is different from tired, and it needs a different approach. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
This is a composure exercise more than a calming one. It gives you something to do while a feeling passes.
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
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
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 4-7-8 breathing for Monday morning, when you cannot concentrate on anything else, 4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 7 · 8 — for a ten-minute window, if you have five quiet minutes or Gentle box breathing — 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 — for a hard conversation, when the house is busy.