Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breath (4 · 1 · 4 · 1) for a hard week, when the weather has kept you inside
The pattern is 4 · 1 · 4 · 1, which is barely any hold, for people who dislike holding.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The pattern is a square — 4, 1, 4, 1 — and you trace it with your breath. Bad weather is a decent excuse to stay in and do this. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
Equal breathing tends to even out the differences between your in-breath and out-breath over a few minutes.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 1s | 4s |
| Exhale | 4s | 5s |
| Hold again | 1s | 9s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 50 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- when the afternoon has gone flat
Tips
- It is fine to breathe through your mouth if your nose is blocked. Nose is usually easier.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- 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 4-2-6 breath (4 · 2 · 6) for the end of the working day, when you are waiting for something, How to use 3-6 breathing for creative work, when you have been meaning to start or 4-8 breathing — 4 · 8 — for a noisy room, when you are somewhere unfamiliar.