Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breathing: 5 rounds
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
Count to 4 on the way in, 1 at the top, 4 on the way out, 1 at the bottom. Repeat. It works with other people in the house. You do not need silence. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
The equal sides keep your breathing from drifting into the shallow, fast pattern that stress tends to produce.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 50 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
- just before you have to say something difficult
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
Tips
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try 3-5-7 breathing after eating too much, How to use 4-8 breathing for a night shift or Coherent 5-5 breathing: 5 rounds for deep focus.