Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breath (4 · 1 · 4 · 1) for jet lag, when you have been on screens all day
A barely any hold, for people who dislike holding pattern, counted for you on screen.
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. After a day of screens, the eyes and the shoulders need this first. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
The holds are brief. Long enough to notice, short enough to be unremarkable.
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 have read the same paragraph three times
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
Tips
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- 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.