Box Breathing: Square Breathing Benefits & How to Do It

What Is Box Breathing?

Box breathing is a popular deep breathing breathwork technique that reduces stress and improves focus. It is also called square breathing, 4-4-4-4 breathing, or four-square breathing. Breathwork is easy; anyone can do it, anywhere – making it an excellent tool in your coping skills toolbox.¹ Box breathing calms your nervous system by forcing you to focus on your breath and can take you out of anxious thoughts and overstimulation to help you see things clearly.

Why Is It Called Box Breathing?

Imagine a box with four equal sides. Box breathing is named after the four equal sides of a box because the technique involves breathing and holding your breath to a count of four four times. For example, inhale while counting to four, hold your breath for four counts, exhale for four counts, and then hold your breath for another count of four.¹

When & Where to Use Box Breathing

Box breathing is a wonderful coping skill to incorporate into your everyday life. You should practice deep breathing techniques at your baseline, meaning during times when you experience low stress, such as when relaxing before bed or before a meditation practice. Practicing square breathing when you’re calm will help ensure you utilize the technique correctly when you need to when experiencing stressful situations.

Squared breathing is beneficial whether you are sitting on a crowded bus and feeling anxious, about to take an exam, or in the waiting room of a doctor’s office. 4-4-4-4 breathing is easy and discreet enough to do it anywhere and anytime.¹ You can start experiencing relief from your symptoms after just 5 minutes of practicing box breathing.

Step-by-Step Guide to Box Breathing

When you begin to utilize and practice square breathing, you should do it alone in a quiet room, sitting with your feet planted on the ground. As you become more familiar with the technique, you can apply it as needed in any setting and at any time. Aim for 10-15 minutes of box breathing per session at least 2-3 times daily. You can decrease the amount of practice when you become more efficient in utilizing the technique.

Box breathing involves four steps, but imagine a box with four equal sides before you get started. With each of these steps, you want to imagine yourself following along each side of the box.

Here are the steps to box breathing:

Step 1: Inhale

Imagine you are following the top side of the box. If it helps, use your fingers to imagine feeling the box, or use a surface to guide your finger along that top line while breathing in through your nose and counting to four. This should take you four seconds. Keep doing this until you have mastered this first step.

Step 2: Hold Breath

Now that you have learned the four-square inhalation, the next step is to hold that breath for four seconds. The key is to try not to inhale or exhale for four seconds. Envision the right side of the box and again trace along the side, whether in your mind or using a surface and again count to four as you hold your breath and imagine your finger gliding along the right edge. You have now successfully traveled two sides of the box.

Step 3: Exhale

Before you exhale, remember that you will now be following the bottom side of the box. Exhale out of your mouth for four seconds while imagining your finger running along the bottom line of the box.

Step 4: Pause

As you round the corner of the bottom of your imaginary box to travel up the left side, hold your breath for a count of four. This is the last side of the box, and you should meet up with that corner where you started the process.

Completing the four steps of box breathing is considered a single session. You should practice for at least 10-15 min for 3-4 days until you have mastered the technique.

Benefits of Square Breathing

Stress and anxiety can often make your body feel like it is preparing for danger. Box breathing can relieve these symptoms by calming your stress response when done correctly. It provides mental clarity to reduce negative and anxious thoughts and improve blood flow, which helps reduce increased blood pressure, improve sweating, and relieve muscle tension.

Physical Benefits

Box breathing can help you regulate your breathing. Research has shown that when an individual experiences abnormal breathing patterns, there is an increase in sleep difficulties, blood pressure, blurred vision, and sweating, all associated with stress responses.³ Squared breathing allows you to breathe deeply and more mindfully, linked to improved somatic reactions to stress.

Mental Benefits

Four-square breathing provides many mental benefits including increasing mindfulness and providing mental clarity.⁴ The brain associates your mental state with different breathing patterns. When you are relaxed, your breathing is steady and deep, but when you’re scared or anxious, your breath is rapid, shallow, and labored. When you employ a technique such as box breathing you can be in any mental state but your brain will recognize the deep and structured breathwork and help you experience a more relaxed state.

When you are relaxed, you have an easier time focusing and paying attention, improving your overall mental well-being.

Emotional Benefits

When you utilize deep breathing and structured breathing techniques like box breathing, your emotional well-being significantly improves. Practicing box breathing for at least 5 minutes daily improves your mood, reduces negative emotions, and helps eliminate negative thoughts.

We feel emotions deeply, but these feelings are not facts, meaning when you use techniques like square breathing, you give yourself time and mental clarity to stop and think about how to respond. Thinking and choosing how you want to react and respond to situations allows you to feel more confident and secure in your choices. Confidence and the ability to make well thought out decisions create resilience because, with practice, you will find yourself better equipped to deal with stress, anxiety, negative thoughts, and feelings.

Precautions & Considerations

If you have respiratory or medical issues, please consult a healthcare professional before starting any breathing practice.² Although box breathing can be easy to learn and effective in reducing negative symptoms, it is not always the right technique. It is important to note there can be dizziness and discomfort for those who may not know how to use the technique properly or haven’t had enough time to practice. Engaging square breathing incorrectly can make your symptoms worse, as you may begin to panic when you don’t feel relief.