Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breathing: 10 rounds for Friday evening, when you are somewhere noisy
Simple counts — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Noise is fine. You are not trying to hear anything subtle. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
A square is easy to picture, so your mind has something to hold onto that is not the thing worrying you.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 100 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- before you walk into a room full of people
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
Tips
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- 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.