Breathing exercise · 3 · 6
3-6 breathing — 3 · 6 — for a grey day, when the weather has kept you inside
A 3 · 6 rhythm — a gentle two-to-one ratio.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Take 3 counts to breathe in, and 6 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. Bad weather is a decent excuse to stay in and do this. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
This ratio is used a lot before sleep, because a long exhale is what your breathing already does as you fall asleep.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 3s |
One round is 9 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 72 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
Tips
- Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- 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.