If it’s good enough to calm down members of the Navy SEALs, it might be good enough to help you find peace amidst the rigors of daily life.
Given how quickly the world is changing—driven by mounting threats and rapid advances in technology—it has become all the more important to learn how to breathe like those who are prepared for almost anything.
This refers to the members of the United States Navy SEALs.
Known for their motto, “The only easy day was yesterday,” SEALs are trained to operate under extreme pressure—by sea, air, and land (hence the acronym.) And in recent years, many have managed to do so thanks in part to a simple but powerful technique they learn during training: box breathing, a secret of some of the toughest people in the world.
Popularized by author and retired Navy SEAL commander Mark Divine, box breathing is a deep-breathing practice used by those seeking calm and focus, especially under pressure. Variations exist across cultures and disciplines, but all share the same core principle reflected in the name: a breathing cycle made up of four equal parts—just like the sides of a square.
In Divine’s version, as outlined in an article he wrote for Time, the practice begins by emptying the lungs and holding for a count of four. This is followed by a four-count inhale through the nose. The breath is then held for another four counts—without clamping down or creating back pressure. “Maintain an expansive, open feeling even though you are not inhaling,” he wrote. The exhale then follows through the nose, again for four counts. The cycle is repeated for at least five minutes for full effect, though Divine recommends a 10–20 minute session in the morning, supplemented by brief one- or two-minute “spot drills” throughout the day.
“I practice it in the morning, before a workout, while standing in line, when I’m stuck in traffic—whenever I can,” he wrote. “It helps me slow my breathing and sharpen my concentration. Even just five minutes leaves me with a deeply calm body and an alert, focused state of mind.”
Many before his time and beyond his sphere of influence have experienced this. Box breathing, after all, was derived from sama vritti, a pranayama technique with similar mechanics. For generations, it has been used to quiet the mind, reduce anxiety, maintain focus, and bring practitioners fully into the present through its deliberate, rhythmic pace.
Science has tried to explain why. According to a study published by the European Respiratory Society, slow breathing techniques like box breathing can directly influence the respiratory, cardiovascular, and autonomic nervous systems. The American Heart Association agreed with this noting that breath-holding temporarily increases carbon dioxide in the blood, slowing the heart rate and activating the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for the body’s “rest and digest” mode. In stressful moments, this helps shift the body away from “fight or flight,” lowering blood pressure while fostering a calmness that keeps the mind sharp. Because of these effects, box breathing can help manage anxiety, depression, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. While it doesn’t induce the level of drowsiness acquired through other breathing methods (like the 4-7-8 technique,) it still reliably promotes relaxation.
Divine knows this firsthand. In his book “The Way of the SEAL,” he wrote that box breathing saved his life on several occasions. “I was able to remain calm and focus clearly—to avoid reactionary thinking, or worse, panic,” he wrote. It’s one reason why the practice is featured prominently in SEALFIT, an academy he founded to train Special Operations Forces to withstand high-pressure missions.
But the kind of challenges that provoke panic and reactionary thinking aren’t limited to combat zones. They’ve become fixtures of civilian life, where the battles are bureaucratic, algorithmic, and seemingly endless.
These days, the air can feel charged for many. The world has a climate situation tipping toward catastrophe, there are political systems buckling under the strain of polarization and the rise of extremism, and there are economies rewarding volatility over stability. Furthermore, technology races ahead of our ability to process it, erasing the line between public and private, urgency, and exhaustion. In such a world, it’s no wonder that many feel suffocated.
And yet, some can still catch their breath—and they ironically do it by knowing when and how to hold it.
