Box Breathing: A Healthy Technique
Over the years, we have encountered many breathing techniques that help
calm the mind and body, and are even capable of helping us improve our
ability to fall asleep, concentrate, and restore the balance our body
needs. If you have tried such breathing techniques in the past and found
them beneficial, you will probably be happy to discover a new technique
– box breathing – which helps improve concentration, reduce stress, and
is recommended for daily practice when you feel your mind is starting
to wander or your work is taking a toll on your mental health. How do
you do it, what are its benefits, and are there people who should avoid
it? We will answer all these questions and more right now.
How to Perform Box Breathing?
Box breathing is done in 4 simple steps, each lasting exactly 4 seconds:
1. Inhale – Sit with your back straight, ensure your feet are flat on
the floor, close your eyes, and take an inhale for 4 seconds through
your nose. Feel how the air fills your lungs.
2. Hold the breath – Count to 4 at the same pace as your inhalation.
3. Exhale – Fully exhale the air from your lungs through your nose for 4 seconds.
4. Hold the breath – Wait for another 4 seconds.
You should repeat this at least 3 more times (4 in total), and it is recommended to continue for 4 minutes or until you feel calm. If this is difficult for you, you can try counting for 3 seconds instead of 4, and if you find this technique helpful and easy to perform, you can even count for 5-6 seconds.
Since this breathing technique is very easy to perform in any situation, people in high-pressure jobs find many benefits in it, including soldiers, police officers, and even office workers under significant stress. This technique is actually relevant for everyone, and anyone who wants to balance their mind and regain control and focus can use it.
Why is Box Breathing so Essential for Mental and Physical Health?
Box breathing helps reset your breathing, and in moments of severe
stress, this is important for both your physical and mental health. Our
body undergoes processes that we do not consciously control, like the
autonomic nervous system, which determines, among other things, heart
rate and breathing and even affects digestion.
When the body feels threatened, it enters "fight, flight, or freeze" mode, releasing hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline, leading to a chain reaction that causes the heart rate and breathing to become faster and also increases blood sugar levels. Prolonged stay in such a stress state can negatively affect health and wear out the body very quickly. Among the long-term effects, you can include:
High blood pressure
Headaches
Heart attack
Stroke
We cannot directly control blood sugar levels or heart rate, but we can control our breathing, and calming it will affect all other body systems accordingly. Thus, box breathing helps us achieve control and balance, beneficial both in the short and long term.
The Benefits of Box Breathing
Mark Divine, an author and lecturer who was formerly a commander in the
U.S. Navy SEALs, shares that this technique helped him in very stressful
and challenging moments during his career. "I used it daily during
training, and it helped me finish with excellence and in first place.
Today, I use it in any challenging situation I encounter in daily life."
Here are some of the benefits of this breathing method: