Breathing exercise · 3 · 6
3-6 breathing — 3 · 6 — for a cold morning, when you have just finished work
A 3 · 6 rhythm — a gentle two-to-one ratio.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 3, out for 6. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. The gap right after work is the easiest one to use. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
You can keep the in-breath completely ordinary. Only the out-breath needs to be longer.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 3s |
One round is 9 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 108 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
Tips
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- 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 2-1-4 breathing for the morning after, when you are not in the mood, How to use Coherent 5-5 breathing for Sunday evening, when you have just finished work or 5-2-7 breathing exercise for jet lag — if you are new to this.