Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breathing — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — for the middle of the night, when you are not sure this will work
Rounds of 4 · 1 · 4 · 1, with the counting done for you.
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. Not being sure it will work is a perfectly good reason to try it once. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
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 8 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- while you are waiting for something to start
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- 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.