Breathing exercise · 3 · 6
3-6 breathing for a hospital waiting room, before you go back to something hard
Simple counts — 3 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 3, then let the breath go for 6 counts. Five minutes here is cheaper than an hour of grinding. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
The long exhale is the working part. A slow out-breath is one of the few direct levers you have on your own arousal level.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 3s |
One round is 9 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 45 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- If you lose count, start the round again rather than guessing.
- 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 Coherent 4-4 breathing for heavy days, on a day that started badly, Beginner box breathing — 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 — for jet lag, when you have more time than usual or 6-2-6-2 breath (6 · 2 · 6 · 2) for being unwell, after a difficult conversation.