Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breathing for Sunday evening, if you are tired of apps
The pattern is 4 · 1 · 4 · 1, which is barely any hold, for people who dislike holding.
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. No account, no streak, no notification asking how you feel. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
The holds are brief. Long enough to notice, short enough to be unremarkable.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 100 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
Tips
- Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Coherent 4-4 breathing: 6 rounds for the hours after people leave, when you have more time than usual, Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing for the middle of the night, when the house is busy or Gentle box breathing — 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 — for a big decision, when you need to stop thinking about work.