Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breathing for a long illness, when you want to be left alone
Rounds of 4 · 1 · 4 · 1, with the counting done for you.
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. Nothing here asks anything of you socially. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
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 6 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- before you walk into a room full of people
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
Tips
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
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 6-2-6-2 breathing: 10 rounds for the end of the working day, when the day has been loud, 6-2-6-2 breathing exercise for a hospital waiting room — when you are doing this for the first time or How to use 4-6 breathing for a grey day, when you are on your own.