Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breathing — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — for a stolen moment of caregiving, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
4 · 1 · 4 · 1 breathing: barely any hold, for people who dislike holding.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 4, hold for 1, out for 4, hold for 1. Picture tracing the sides of a square. That is the whole exercise. It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 100 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- before a presentation, in the corridor
Tips
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- Set a timer for the rounds you want, so you are not watching the clock.
- 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.