Box Breathing
I learned about this term when I was searching for some breathing exercise and I come to find out about box breathing also know as 4-4-4-4 breathing.
This is basically cycle of:
- 4 sec inhale
- 4 sec hold
- 4 sec exhale
- 4 sec hold and repeat.
I thought to myself, is it even beneficial? So I went down a rabbit hole on this.
1. Autonomic nervous system reset
Our nervous system has 2 main modes:
- Sympathetic -> The infamous flight vs fight mode. When you're in stretch
- Parasympathetic -> The state of rest Slow controlled breathing tells our brain that we are in parasympathetic mode and there is no immediate threat.
2. CO₂ tolerance
When we are under a lot of stress, we tend to breathe quickly and shallowly, which blows off too much CO₂.
Low CO₂ actually makes us feel anxious, dizzy, and tense.
Holding the breath for 4 seconds makes the whole breathing exercise feel stabilizing, as it slightly increases CO₂.
3. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) improves
This also increases HRV, which is a strong marker of:
- Stress resilience
- Emotional regulation
- Cardiovascular health
Effectiveness of HRV - In simple terms, HRV is directly proportional to how well your heart adapts to stress.
4. Anxiety & Clear thinking
When we are stressed, blood flows toward what is known as the fear centre - the Amygdala. Slow, rhythmic breathing gives you more control and helps you think more clearly.
We have brainwaves called beta waves, which are linked to active thinking, focus, and alertness on EEG. Anxiety and uncertainty elevate beta signals, which cause a ripple effect and increase stress or worry. Slow breathing helps to calm this down.
"In the uncertain, beta power decreased with slow breathing but increased with fast breathing"