Breathing exercise · 3 · 6
3-6 breath (3 · 6) for a cold morning, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
A 3 · 6 rhythm — a gentle two-to-one ratio.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in through your nose for 3 counts. Then out for 6, slowly, without pushing. It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
The pause at the end of a long exhale is usually longer than you expect. That gap is part of the exercise.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 3s |
One round is 9 seconds. At the default 6 rounds this practice runs 54 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
- There are no holds in this one, which makes it a good choice if breath-holding makes you anxious.
Please note
If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try How to use Slow box breathing for anxious moments, when nothing else has worked today, Physiological sigh breath (2 · 6) for overwhelm, before something difficult or Coherent 4-4 breathing for physical discomfort, if you are fitting this around other people.