Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 6 · 2
Uneven box breathing for days when everything is too much, when you are somewhere noisy
A a square with one long side pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count to 4 on the way in, 4 at the top, 6 on the way out, 2 at the bottom. Repeat. Noise is fine. You are not trying to hear anything subtle. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
Nothing here depends on you relaxing. You can be tense the whole way through and the pattern still works.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 160 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 start of a study session, to set the tone
- while you are waiting for something to start
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Do the last round slightly smaller than the others. It makes stopping easier.
- 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 5-2-7 breathing — 5 · 2 · 7 — for being unwell, when you feel restless rather than tired, Double-inhale sigh (3 · 8) for a hard week, before you go back to something hard or Tight box breathing — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — for deep focus, on a day that started badly.