Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breathing exercise for Friday evening — when you have been on screens all day
Simple counts — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, hold 1, out for 4, hold 1. The shape stays the same every round. After a day of screens, the eyes and the shoulders need this first. 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 6 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
Tips
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
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 2-1-4 breathing exercise for the end of the working day — when you only have a few minutes, Box breathing — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — for anxious moments, if you are doing this in the middle of the day or Soft 4-7-8 breathing for a stolen moment of caregiving, on a low-energy afternoon.