Breathing exercise · 3 · 6
3-6 breathing — 3 · 6 — for the end of the working day, if you have five quiet minutes
Rounds of 3 · 6, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 3, then let the breath go for 6 counts. Five quiet minutes is enough. Ten is generous. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
The exhale is doing the counting for you, which means you have less attention left over to worry with.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 3s |
One round is 9 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 90 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- before a presentation, in the corridor
Tips
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- 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 2-1-4 breathing: 4 rounds for the morning, when you want to finish something, 4-2-6 breath (4 · 2 · 6) for the morning after, before you go back to something hard or Coherent 4-4 breathing: 12 rounds for days when everything is too much, when you are somewhere noisy.