Uneven box breathing: 6 rounds for the end of the

How it works

Four equal sides: 4 in, 4 held, 6 out, 2 held. Nothing else to remember. Scepticism is welcome. You do not have to believe anything for this to work. Let the physical world hold your attention.

Why it can help

It works because it is boring. Boring rhythms are the ones you can actually follow under pressure.

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 6 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
when you are the only person awake in the house

Tips

You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
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.