Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breath (4 · 1 · 4 · 1) for heated moments, on a low-energy afternoon
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
Count to 4 on the way in, 1 at the top, 4 on the way out, 1 at the bottom. Repeat. Low-energy afternoons are what this was written for. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Because nothing changes from round to round, the exercise stops being interesting — and that is exactly what you want at a difficult moment.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
- just before you have to say something difficult
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
- 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.