Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 6 · 2
Uneven box breathing exercise for anxious moments — after a long day
A a square with one long side pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The pattern is a square — 4, 4, 6, 2 — and you trace it with your breath. Use it at the end of a long day, not at the start of one. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
Equal breathing tends to even out the differences between your in-breath and out-breath over a few minutes.
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
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
Tips
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Tight box breathing for Sunday evening, if you are tired of apps, How to use Uneven box breathing for a night shift, when you only have a few minutes or 3-5-7 breathing exercise for a ten-minute window — if you are sceptical about all of this.