Definition, Techniques & How to Do It

These effects of stress on breathing are normal – many people experience them. However just because they’re normal doesn’t mean they’re ideal and, what’s more, doesn’t mean that you have to continue to put up with them. 

Techniques exist for getting your breath under control, even in stressful situations. One such controlled breathing technique is box breathing, which was developed and popularized by a former Navy SEAL – someone with extensive firsthand experience of living through daily stress. The box breathing technique is simple, accessible, and effective in helping you function better during stressful times, which for so many of us, is most of the time. In this article, we’ll describe and define what box breathing is, outline techniques and best practices for box breathing, and review some of the many benefits of box breathing.
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Box breathing is an intentional breathing technique characterized by the slow, rhythmic, even inhalation and exhalation of air (Ahmed et al, 2021). It is sometimes called square breathing or four-square breathing. The names “square”, “box” and “four-square” all reflect the fact that this breathing technique consists of four steps, each of which should take the same amount of time, usually four seconds. The four sides of the square, the four steps in the sequence of box breathing, are as follows:
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1. a measured and even inhalation
2. a period of holding the breath in your lungs
3. a measured and even exhalation
4. a period of holding your breath before the next inhalation.

Box Breathing Sequence
This sequence of four steps is then repeated for anywhere from one minute, up to twenty minutes, and perhaps even longer.

Mark Divine is a former Navy SEAL who popularized this breathing technique. He recommends daily box breathing practice of between ten and twenty minutes.

Once you are familiar with the practice of box breathing, you can then use the technique at any point throughout the day, for as little as one to two minutes. You may find box breathing helpful as a way to relieve stress, calm down, and maintain an alert, focused mind (Divine, 2016). According to Divine, box breathing may be effective in putting you in a “neutral energetic” state. You may find yourself feeling neither charged up nor relaxed, but feeling, alert, grounded, and ready to take action.

There are many apps in both the Apple app store and the Google play store that offer guidance in intentional breathing techniques, including box breathing. Apps that you may want to consider include.

For Apple Devices:

For Android Devices

Box breathing is just one form of deep, intentional, or contemplative breathing. Breathing is physiological activity, like digestion. However, unlike digestion, breathing is a physiological act that people can exert some level of conscious control over. Box breathing, as an intentional breathing technique, encourages you to concentrate on your breath and to intentionally control your breath. Doing this may help you to breathe more deeply than you might when breathing unconsciously.

There are many physiological benefits to deep breathing (Gerritsen & Band, 2018). Deep breathing may increase levels of oxygen in the brain, increasing mental clarity, focus, concentration, and cognitive performance. Deep breathing also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the body’s system of hormonal and chemical communication that is responsible for recovery from stress. Amongst its beneficial effects, deep breathing can reduce your heart rate, regulate your digestion, and may even increase eye health. All of these specific physiological effects may in turn allow you to feel less anxious, calmer, and more grounded.

Box-breathing may also help with pain management. In a recent study, women were encouraged to practice box breathing techniques immediately after giving birth (Ahmed et al., 2022). After giving birth, the uterus continues to contract for up to ten days, oftentimes causing pain and discomfort. Women who practiced box breathing in the immediate post-partum period reported a reduction in the pain of continued uterine contractions.

The relationship between breathing and emotional state is bidirectional – when stressed or feeling anxious, people often have shallow breathing patterns. On the other hand, shallow breathing can increase feelings of stress and anxiety (Ley, 1985; Suess, et al., 1980). The good news is that this means that you may be able to reduce your feelings of stress and anxiety by using intentional, deep breathing exercises like box breathing. Engaging in intentional, deep breathing practices, like box breathing, may decrease heart rate, decrease levels of stress hormones in the body, increase feelings of calm, and decrease feelings of stress, anxiety, fear, and panic (Brown & Gerbarg, 2005).

Higher education can be a time of increased stress and anxiety for many people – the stakes can seem high and students often feel increased anxiety right before and during important tests and exams. When students are taught deep breathing techniques and then are encouraged to practice these techniques, they report fewer feelings of anxiety and nervousness as well as increased concentration (Paul et al., 2007).

Anxiety about academic performance doesn’t always start at the college and post-secondary levels. Test anxiety can emerge as young as the primary and elementary grades. One study reported that up to 41 percent of children between the ages of 8 and 11 experienced test anxiety (Carter et al., 2008).

Children who were taught deep, intentional breathing techniques reported decreases in their feelings of test anxiety (Larson, et al., 2010). Test performance may also increase after instruction in deep breathing (Khng, 2017). Feelings of anxiety may interfere with cognitive performance. Techniques that reduce anxiety may help people, both children and adults, perform at their highest potential.
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Even young children can be taught how to intentionally control their breathing. Instruction in controlled breathing may have beneficial, stress-reducing effects in people of all ages, even children.

The video below may help guide children in the practice of box breathing.

Box breathing, in addition to being a deep, intentional breathing technique, is also a focused breathing technique – you pace your inhalations and exhalations by counting and you hold your breath to the same count. This may require you to concentrate on your breath, bringing your awareness to the present moment and taking focus away from distracting outside thoughts. In this way, box-breathing may be helpful in meditation practice, and may even be considered a meditation technique. People who find themselves becoming easily distracted while trying to meditate may find the guidance and structure of box breathing particularly helpful for their meditation practice.

The video below reviews some of the beneficial effects of box breathing meditation and may also help guide you in the use of box breathing to encourage meditation.

Want to learn more about box breathing? Here are some related articles that might be helpful.​​

Box-breathing is a very simple breathing technique with the potential for big benefits. There are only four steps involved and the visual of the box or square makes these four steps easy to remember. You can practice box-breathing on your own, or with the assistance of a video, GIF, or app. You can dedicate a period of your day to practicing box breathing, or you can incorporate it into your daily life, inhaling, exhaling, and holding your breath to counts of four while engaged in other activities like driving, cleaning, or cooking.

Despite the simplicity of the practice, the benefits may be innumerable. Box breathing may decrease feelings of anxiety, may increase mental alertness, may help you sleep better, and may even have beneficial effects on the physiological functioning of your digestive, endocrine, and respiratory symptoms. And all these benefits come at no cost to you! Box breathing is free and is accessible to people across a range of ages, as well as levels of fitness and ability. Box-breathing is easy, free, accessible, and effective with no known harmful effects. It may be one of the easiest ways to improve your health and well-being.

• Ahmed, A., Gayatri Devi, R., & Jothi Priya, A. (2021). Effect of Box Breathing Technique on Lung Function Test.
• Ahmed, A., Hassan, S. I., & Elsaba, H. A. (2022). Effect of Four-Square Breathing Exercise on After Pains, Initiation of Breastfeeding, and Satisfaction with Intervention among Postpartum Mothers. Assiut Scientific Nursing Journal, 10(29), 11-22.
• Brown, R. P., & Gerbarg, P. L. (2005). Sudarshan Kriya yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression: part I—neurophysiologic model. Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 11(1), 189-201.
• Carter, R., Williams, & Silverman, W.K. (2008). Cognitive and emotional facets of test anxiety in African American school children. Cognition and Emotion, 22 (3), 539-551.
• Divine, M. (May 2016). The breathing technique a Navy SEAL uses to stay calm and focused. Time. Time Motto. 
• Gerritsen, R. J., & Band, G. P. (2018). Breath of life: The respiratory vagal stimulation model of contemplative activity. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 397.
• Khng, K. H. (2017). A better state-of-mind: deep breathing reduces state anxiety and enhances test performance through regulating test cognitions in children. Cognition and Emotion, 31(7), 1502-1510.
• Larson, H. A., Yoder, A. M., Johnson, C., El Rahami, M., Sung, J., & Washburn, F. (2010). Test anxiety and relaxation training in third-grade students. Faculty Research & Creative Activity, 43.
• Ley, R. (1985). Blood, breath, and fears: A hyperventilation theory of panic attacks and agoraphobia. Clinical Psychology Review, 5, 271–285.
• Nanthakwang, N., Siviroj, P., Matanasarawoot, A., Sapbamrer, R., Lerttrakarnnon, P., & Awiphan, R. (2020). Effectiveness of deep breathing and body scan meditation combined with music to improve sleep quality and quality of life in older adults. The Open Public Health Journal, 13(1).
• Paul, G., Elam, B., & Verhulst, S. J. (2007). A longitudinal study of students’ perceptions of using deep breathing meditation to reduce testing stresses. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 19(3), 287- 292. 
• Rajkumar, L., Dubowy, C., & Khatib, A. (2021). Impact of practicing mindful breathing in class. Teaching and Learning Excellence through Scholarship, 1(1).
• Suess, W. M., Alexander, A. B., Smith, D. D., Sweeney, H. W., & Marion, R. J. (1980). The effects of psychological stress on respiration: a preliminary study of anxiety and hyperventilation. Psychophysiology, 17(6), 535–540​

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