All breathing exercises

The complete list of breathing exercises on SoftlyStill — 1,474 pieces, newest first, 30 to a page.

Breathing2 min

5-2-7 breathing exercise for a hot day — when you are too tired to try hard

The pattern is 5 · 2 · 7, which is five, a brief hold, then seven out.

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Breathing2 min

Beginner box breathing for heated moments, when you are not in the mood

The pattern is 2 · 2 · 2 · 2, which is the easiest version of the square.

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Breathing2 min

How to use Coherent 4-4 breathing for deep focus, when you are not sure this will work

The pattern is 4 · 4, which is four and four, if five feels like a stretch.

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Breathing2 min

Soft 4-7-8 breathing for a reset, when you are somewhere unfamiliar

The pattern is 4 · 4 · 8, which is the hold cut short, the long exhale kept.

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Breathing2 min

How to use Box breathing for the hours after people leave, when you are not in the mood

The pattern is 4 · 4 · 4 · 4, which is four equal sides, like tracing a square.

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Breathing2 min

7-11 breathing for a cold morning, when you feel restless rather than tired

The pattern is 7 · 11, which is a long, slow ratio for when you have time.

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Breathing2 min

How to use Tight box breathing for a lonely evening, when you are somewhere unfamiliar

The pattern is 4 · 1 · 4 · 1, which is barely any hold, for people who dislike holding.

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Breathing2 min

Coherent 5-5 breathing: 5 rounds for the end of the working day, when nothing else has worked today

The pattern is 5 · 5, which is five seconds in, five seconds out — about six breaths a minute.

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Breathing2 min

3-6 breath (3 · 6) for a hard conversation, when you feel restless rather than tired

The pattern is 3 · 6, which is a gentle two-to-one ratio.

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Breathing2 min

6-2-6-2 breathing: 4 rounds for the hours after people leave, when you are on your own

The pattern is 6 · 2 · 6 · 2, which is even and rhythmic, with brief holds on both sides.

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Breathing2 min

3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for a big decision, when nothing else has worked today

3 · 5 · 7 breathing: a staircase down: three, five, seven.

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Breathing2 min

Physiological sigh (2 · 6) for Friday evening, when you are on your own

2 · 6 breathing: a second short sip of air on top of the first, then a long release.

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Breathing2 min

Gentle box breathing — 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 — for a ten-minute window, if you are fitting this around other people

3 · 3 · 3 · 3 breathing: a smaller square, for when four counts feels long.

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Breathing2 min

4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 7 · 8 — for the early months, when you have more time than usual

4 · 7 · 8 breathing: in for four, hold for seven, out for eight.

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Breathing2 min

5-7 breathing for the commute, when you cannot concentrate on anything else

5 · 7 breathing: five in, seven out.

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Breathing2 min

2-1-4 breathing for coming down after exercise, when you have been on screens all day

A 2 · 1 · 4 rhythm — short in, short hold, long out — the smallest useful dose.

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Breathing2 min

Double-inhale sigh for a long illness, when you have woken up too early

A 3 · 8 rhythm — two inhales stacked together, then everything out through the mouth.

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Breathing2 min

Beginner box breathing: 12 rounds for the middle of the night, when the day has been loud

A 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 rhythm — the easiest version of the square.

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Breathing3 min

Soft 4-7-8 breathing: 12 rounds for travel days, when you feel fine and want to stay that way

A 4 · 4 · 8 rhythm — the hold cut short, the long exhale kept.

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Breathing4 min

7-11 breathing: 12 rounds for jet lag, if you have five quiet minutes

A 7 · 11 rhythm — a long, slow ratio for when you have time.

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Breathing2 min

Tight box breathing — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — for a grey day, when you need to stop thinking about work

Rounds of 4 · 1 · 4 · 1, with the counting done for you.

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Breathing2 min

3-6 breathing — 3 · 6 — for a hot day, if you are doing this instead of scrolling

Rounds of 3 · 6, with the counting done for you.

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Breathing3 min

3-5-7 breathing for deep focus, if you are new to this

Rounds of 3 · 5 · 7, with the counting done for you.

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Breathing2 min

Physiological sigh for a hard week, when your attention is scattered

Rounds of 2 · 6, with the counting done for you.

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Breathing2 min

Gentle box breathing for a lonely evening, when you have been meaning to start

Rounds of 3 · 3 · 3 · 3, with the counting done for you.

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Breathing4 min

4-7-8 breathing: 12 rounds for a hard conversation, before something difficult

Simple counts — 4 · 7 · 8 — and a circle that keeps time.

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Breathing2 min

5-7 breathing: 12 rounds for a big decision, when the house is busy

Simple counts — 5 · 7 — and a circle that keeps time.

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Breathing2 min

2-1-4 breathing: 12 rounds for Friday evening, when the weather has kept you inside

Simple counts — 2 · 1 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.

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Breathing2 min

Double-inhale sigh exercise for physical discomfort — when you are short on time

Simple counts — 3 · 8 — and a circle that keeps time.

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Breathing2 min

Beginner box breathing exercise for the early months — on a day that started badly

Simple counts — 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 — and a circle that keeps time.

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