Box breathing is a deep breathing technique that can calm the nervous system and help you feel more centered.
Methods to control our breathing can be more effective than we sometimes think for calming down during stressful situations, managing anxiety, and even falling asleep. Luckily, box breathing is something you can do anywhere, whether sitting at work, lying on the couch, or preparing for takeoff on the plane, all you need is your breath. You can use our sticker to trace your finger with your inhales and exhales, or just as a visual guide for how to box breathe.
Here's how to box breathe.
Inhale for 4 seconds. Feel your lungs fill up and your chest expand.
Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
Exhale for 4 seconds, try to release the air slowly and steadily, and you can even imagine all your unhelpful thoughts and energy leaving your body.
Hold after the exhale for 4 seconds. This is the pause at the end of the breath cycle, before starting back up with the inhale again.
You can do this as many or as few times as you please.
After practicing box breathing for a few rounds you may notice your heart rate will decrease. This breathing method creates a nice rhythm in the body that can pull us out of difficult situations or feelings by forcing us to put all of our attention on our breath.