Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 6 · 2
Uneven box breathing — 4 · 4 · 6 · 2 — for physical discomfort, when the weather has kept you inside
Rounds of 4 · 4 · 6 · 2, with the counting done for you.
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. Bad weather is a decent excuse to stay in and do this. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
The equal sides keep your breathing from drifting into the shallow, fast pattern that stress tends to produce.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 192 seconds — about 3 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- when you are the only person awake in the house
Tips
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
- Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.
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 Uneven box breathing: 10 rounds for a stolen moment of caregiving, when you are on your own, 3-6 breath (3 · 6) for the end of the working day, when you are not sure this will work or Physiological sigh for a grey day, before you go back to something hard.