Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 6 · 2
Uneven box breathing — 4 · 4 · 6 · 2 — for a long wait, when you are waiting for something
The pattern is 4 · 4 · 6 · 2, which is a square with one long side.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 6, hold for 2. Picture tracing the sides of a square. That is the whole exercise. Waiting is dead time you can spend on this instead. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
A square is easy to picture, so your mind has something to hold onto that is not the thing worrying you.
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 4 rounds this practice runs 64 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- 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.