Box Breathing

Box breathing is an easy-to-learn technique that comes useful as a stress management tool.

This method's benefit is that it can be practiced anywhere and anytime you have a moment- at home, at work, cooking, relaxing, doing anything else, and doesn't require any special training process and hours of practice.

How to practice

Make sure you are in a quiet environment with no stress triggers before you start the breathing exercises. Sit upright in a comfortable chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands in your lap, palms facing up. Be aware of your posture - you should be sitting up straight; it will help make your breaths full and unobstructed.

Step 1. Close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose while slowly counting to four. Fee the air enter your lungs.

Step 2. Hold your breath inside while counting slowly to four. Keep your facial muscles relaxed, do not put pressure on your nose or mouth, but instead, simply avoid breathing for 4 seconds.

Step 3. Exhale slowly; the exhalation should last 4 seconds.

Step 4. Slowly count to four before you start the cycle once again. Repeat these steps for four minutes or until you feel that the stress levels have decreased, and you feel calm and relaxed. In case you find this routine hard to complete, you can start with three instead of four cycles, gradually increasing your minutes to five or six.

Warnings

It is advised to consult with your doctor before starting any exercises if you've had any heart or respiratory conditions or other related concerns.

Pregnant Women: Pregnant women should avoid breath retention.

Blood Pressure: Abstain practicing this technique if you have blood pressure issues.

Trauma-Sensitive: It is advised to avoid practicing box breathing if suffering from

trauma since the lungs and the diaphragm may feel tight in the process, which will lead

to the elevation of the stress level.

If at any time during any breathing practice you start hyperventilating or feeling

light-headed, abort the exercise and wait until you return to your normal state. Be

sure to have mastered the first three steps (inhalation-retention-exhalation) before

retaining your breath after exhalation.