Breathing exercise · 3 · 6
3-6 breathing: 6 rounds for bedtime, if you are new to this
Rounds of 3 · 6, with the counting done for you.
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. Nothing here assumes you have done this before. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Most people find the out-breath easier to lengthen than the in-breath. This uses that.
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
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
Tips
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- Nothing is held here, so there is no moment where you are waiting for permission to breathe.
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 4-7-8 breathing for days when everything is too much, if you have done this a hundred times, Gentle box breath (3 · 3 · 3 · 3) for a ten-minute window, when you have woken up too early or How to use 5-2-7 breathing for the middle of the night, if you are sceptical about all of this.