Uneven box breath (4 · 4 · 6 · 2) for being unwell, when you have woken up too early

How it works

In for 4, hold 4, out for 6, hold 2. The shape stays the same every round. Waking too early is a specific kind of frustrating. This helps with the frustration. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.

Why it can help

Because the counts are the same in and out, your body does not have to decide anything. It just follows.

The pattern, in seconds

One round is 16 seconds. At the default 6 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

• in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
• after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
• when you have read the same paragraph three times

Tips

• Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
• If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
• 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.