Box Breathing – how to do it and why
To consciously control and reset the breath is a great way to prevent your body from entering or staying too long in a stress mode.
Box breathing is an easy breathing technique that helps you connect awareness of your breath. It can be used for grounding yourself in the beginning of a yoga class, or you can integrate it in your everyday life.
This is how you do Box Breathing:
Find a spot where you can relax and will not be interrupted by your surroundings.
Close your eyes and start to notice your breath.
Now, on your next inhale count slowly to 4 as you fill the lungs with air.
Hold the breath for 4 seconds, without forcing it or tensing the muscles.
Exhale slowly for 4 seconds.
Hold the breath for 4 seconds, and then repeat step 3-6 a few times.
An easy way of visualising this is to imagine a square or a box while doing the breathing, hence the name “box breathing”.
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