Ready when you are

Inhale 4 Hold 4 Exhale 4 Hold 4

Begin

The technique

How to do box breathing

1. 1 Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of 4.
2. 2 Hold your breath for a count of 4.
3. 3 Breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of 4.
4. 4 Hold your breath again for a count of 4, then repeat.

Why it helps

What's happening in your body

• Evening out your breath signals the nervous system to shift from fight-or-flight into a calmer, rest-and-digest state.
• The steady counting gives a racing mind one simple thing to focus on.
• It's discreet — you can do it at a desk, before a meeting, or lying in bed, and no one will notice.

When to reach for it: Great for steadying yourself before something stressful, or for bringing yourself down mid-panic.

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Keep going

4-7-8 Breathing Inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale slowly for 8. Coherent Breathing Slow, even breaths — in for five, out for five. Diaphragmatic Breathing Slow belly breaths — in for four, out for six.

Related reading: Managing anxiety without medication · Panic attacks at work