Breathing exercises for a calmer moment

Start with a longer exhale

Breathe in for 4 and out for 6. Breathing out a little longer than you breathe in is a gentle default, and it is a good place to start if you are not sure which pattern to pick.

Try it for three minutes. If six counts feels like a stretch, breathe out for five instead. The goal is to feel unhurried, not to hit a number.

Box breathing: 4, 4, 4, 4

Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4 and hold for 4. The counting gives a busy mind something to do, which many people find helpful when their thoughts are racing.

If the holds feel uncomfortable, shorten them to three counts or skip them for a few rounds.

Relax: in 4, hold 7, out 8

A slower pattern that many people save for the evening. The long exhale is soothing, and the hold is the part that takes practice.

Skip or shorten the hold if you feel strained. Stop and breathe normally if you feel lightheaded.

Even breathing: in 5, out 5

A steady, equal rhythm with no holds. It is easy to remember and works well before something that needs your focus, like a meeting or a task you have been putting off.

Build a calmer daily rhythm

Breathing, calming sounds, mood check-ins and a sleep tracker in one private journal. Free, no sign-up, and it stays on your device.

Try Glowsince free

Make it comfortable

• Sit or lie down somewhere you can relax.
• Drop your shoulders and unclench your jaw.
• Breathe through your nose if that feels easy.
• Never force a breath. If you feel dizzy, return to normal breathing.

Keep it short

One to three minutes is plenty. A short practice you repeat often beats a long one you skip. For a quick everyday version, try Reset in 3 minutes, and for the evening, an evening wind-down routine.

Try it in Glowsince

Open Calm, choose a pattern, pick your minutes and begin. Glowsince counts the cycles for you, can play a soft chime and can vibrate on your phone, so you can close your eyes. Your sessions are saved privately on your device.