Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 6 · 2
Uneven box breathing exercise for a grey day
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
In for 4, hold 4, out for 6, hold 2. The shape stays the same every round. When concentration is gone, work with what is left. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
The rhythm is deliberately unremarkable. Unremarkable is easier to keep up when your hands are shaking.
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
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- 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 Uneven box breathing, 7-11 breathing for a grey day or Beginner box breathing for a reset.