Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breath for a lonely evening
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
Four equal sides: 4 in, 1 held, 4 out, 1 held. Nothing else to remember. The gap right after work is the easiest one to use. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
Steady counts slow the breath down without you having to think about slowing the breath down.
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 8 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
Tips
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Double-inhale sigh exercise for Friday evening, How to use Uneven box breathing or Coherent 4-4 breathing for bedtime, when you are too tired to try hard.