Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 6 · 2
Uneven box breathing exercise for the middle of the night — before you go back to something hard
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. Five minutes here is cheaper than an hour of grinding. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
Tips
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- 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 7-11 breathing exercise for a night shift — when you feel restless rather than tired, 3-6 breath (3 · 6) for a long wait, when the house is busy or 4-6 breathing: 5 rounds for creative work, when you are somewhere unfamiliar.