Box breathing timer
Follow the shape: breathe in as it grows, hold, breathe out as it shrinks. Four minutes of box breathing before a hard task, a flight or bed.
In, hold, out, hold: four seconds each. Steadying, before a hard task or a flight.
If you feel light-headed, stop and breathe normally.
Three patterns
| Pattern | One breath | Breaths a minute | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box 4-4-4-4 | 16 seconds | 3.8 | Steadying, before a hard task or a flight. |
| 4-7-8 | 19 seconds | 3.2 | A long, slow exhale for winding down before sleep. |
| Calm 4-6 | 10 seconds | 6.0 | Easy to keep up for longer. |
Why slow breathing calms you down
Breathing is the one part of the body's automatic stress response you can steer directly. Long, slow exhales lean on the parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest and digest” side, and slow your heart rate. A steady count also gives an anxious mind something simple to hold on to, which is why box breathing is taught to people who have to stay calm under pressure, and why it helps with a nervous flyer's take-off as much as with a presentation.
When to use it
- Before a focus session, to settle a busy head: two minutes, then start the Pomodoro timer.
- On a plane, during take-off, landing or turbulence. Our post on turbulence explains why the bumps aren't dangerous.
- At bedtime, with 4-7-8, lights off.
Questions
How do you do box breathing?
Breathe in through your nose for a count of four, hold for four, breathe out slowly for four, and hold again for four. Repeat for a few minutes. The guide grows as you breathe in, holds, and shrinks as you breathe out, so you can follow it without counting.
Does box breathing work?
Slow breathing has good evidence behind it. A 2018 review by Andrea Zaccaro and colleagues found that slow breathing, under ten breaths a minute, was linked to more relaxation and less anxiety, along with calmer heart-rate patterns. Box breathing's 16-second cycle is slower still, and most people find it settling within a minute or two.
What is 4-7-8 breathing?
Breathe in for four, hold for seven, and breathe out for eight. It was popularized by the physician Andrew Weil as a way to wind down before sleep. The long exhale is the point; if the hold is uncomfortable, shorten all three counts in the same proportion.
Is it safe?
For most people, yes. If you feel light-headed or short of breath, stop and breathe normally. If you're pregnant, or have a heart or lung condition, check with your doctor before practising breath holds.
Further reading
- Is turbulence dangerous? What's really going onTurbulence is rarely a danger to the plane, which is built for far worse; the risk is to people not strapped in. What causes it, how strong it gets, and how to cope.
- How to take breaks that actually recharge youNot all breaks restore focus. What research says about micro-breaks, nature, movement and phones, a break menu from one minute to twenty, and how often to stop.
More free tools
- Pomodoro timer25 minutes of focus, then a break. With a seat-belt chime.
- Deep work timer52/17, 50/10 or 90-minute blocks for deeper work.
- Pomodoro calculatorHow many Pomodoros your tasks take, and when you'll finish.
- Eisenhower matrixDo, schedule, delegate or drop: sort your to-do list.
- Meeting cost calculatorWhat a meeting costs in salary and in lost focus time.
- Context switching calculatorHow much focus your interruptions cost you in a year.