Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 6 · 2
Uneven box breath (4 · 4 · 6 · 2) for the commute, when you are not sure this will work
Simple counts — 4 · 4 · 6 · 2 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, hold 4, out for 6, hold 2. The shape stays the same every round. Not being sure it will work is a perfectly good reason to try it once. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
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 | 4s | 4s |
| Exhale | 6s | 8s |
| Hold again | 2s | 14s |
One round is 16 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 128 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- 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 Slow box breathing: 10 rounds for the hours after people leave, when you are doing this for the first time, 3-6 breathing exercise for the early months — when you want to finish something or How to use 5-7 breathing for jet lag, when you need to stop thinking about work.