Breathing exercise · 3 · 6
3-6 breathing for Sunday evening, when you need something unremarkable
A a gentle two-to-one ratio pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 3 in, 6 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. Nothing dramatic happens here, and that is deliberate. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
It is hard to stay braced against something while breathing out slowly. The two do not sit well together.
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 read the same paragraph three times
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
Tips
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Because there is no pause, you can keep this going while walking or talking.
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.