Uneven box breath (4 · 4 · 6 · 2) for physical discomfort, when you are cold and want to be warm

How it works

Count to 4 on the way in, 4 at the top, 6 on the way out, 2 at the bottom. Repeat. Get a blanket first. Being cold defeats the point. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.

Why it can help

It is a small, closed loop. Small closed loops are comforting when everything else is open-ended.

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

• when you have read the same paragraph three times
• before you walk into a room full of people
• when you are the only person awake in the house

Tips

• Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
• If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
• 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.