Tight box breathing for jet lag, when you are not in the mood

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. Not being in the mood is a normal starting point. Let the physical world hold your attention.

Why it can help

Four sides means four small completions. Each one is a tiny piece of evidence that you can finish something.

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 4 rounds this practice runs 40 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

when you have read the same paragraph three times
in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
when your thoughts are moving faster than you are

Tips

Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
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.