Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)

Box breathing takes 4 seconds for each side of the square: in, hold, out, hold. A cycle lasts 16 seconds, under 4 breaths a minute, and the default 3-minute session is about 11 cycles. The even count makes it easy to keep going without the screen.

How to use

1. Pick a technique. The pattern and the pace in breaths per minute appear in the circle.
2. Choose how long: a number of rounds or 1, 3, 5 or 10 minutes.
3. Press Start (or tap the circle). After a 3-second lead-in, breathe in as the circle grows, hold while it stays, and breathe out as it shrinks. The number counts down each phase.
4. Leave the sound on to follow with your eyes closed: each phase starts with a soft tone. On phones you can also turn on vibration.
5. When the session ends you see the time, the number of breaths and the pace.

• 4-7-8: in through the nose for 4, hold for 7, out through the mouth for 8 (19 seconds a breath). Popularised by Dr Andrew Weil for falling asleep; he suggests starting with 4 rounds. The counts are about the ratio, so slow down or speed up as long as the ratio stays.
• Box breathing: in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4. Taught in some military and first-responder stress-control courses to stay steady under pressure. There is little formal research on it, but it is easy to remember.
• Coherent or resonance breathing: about 5.5 breaths a minute, 5.5 seconds in and 5.5 seconds out, with no holds. Many adults have a resonance frequency of roughly 4.5 to 7 breaths a minute, where heart rate variability is highest; studies of HRV biofeedback link this pace to feeling calmer.
• Physiological sigh: a full inhale through the nose, a short second inhale on top, then a long exhale through the mouth (2 + 1 seconds in, 6 out here). One to three sighs often bring quick relief. In a small Stanford study (Balban et al., 2023), five minutes a day of this “cyclic sighing” improved mood more than mindfulness meditation.
• 4-6 breathing: in for 4, out for 6, about 6 breaths a minute. A longer out-breath than in-breath tends to slow the heart rate.
• Custom: set your own in, hold, out and hold-empty times in half-second steps (holds can be zero).
• Breathe gently and do not force the holds. If you feel dizzy, light-headed or short of breath, stop and breathe normally. Do not practise while driving or in water.
• Your choices are saved in this browser. Nothing is sent anywhere; the screen stays on during a session if your browser allows it.

The techniques compared

4-7-8 (in 4, hold 7, out 8) takes 19 seconds a breath, about 3 breaths a minute; it was popularised by Dr Andrew Weil as a wind-down before sleep, starting with 4 rounds. Box breathing (4-4-4-4) is 16 seconds a cycle and easy to remember under stress. Coherent breathing, 5.5 seconds in and 5.5 out, gives about 5.5 breaths a minute, close to the pace at which heart rate variability tends to peak in many adults.

The physiological sigh is a full inhale, a short top-up inhale and a long exhale (2 + 1 in, 6 out); a small 2023 Stanford study found five minutes a day of this cyclic sighing improved mood. 4-6 breathing, in 4 and out 6, is 6 breaths a minute with a longer out-breath, which tends to slow the heart.

How to practise

Sit or lie comfortably and breathe in through the nose. The counts describe a ratio, not a test: if a 7-second hold feels too long, run the whole pattern faster and keep the proportions. Breathe gently and never force a hold. A few minutes once or twice a day is a common starting point. Stop and breathe normally if you feel dizzy or short of breath, and don't practise while driving or in water. This is a relaxation aid, not a treatment.

Frequently asked questions