Breathing exercise · 4 · 2 · 6
4-2-6 breathing: 4 rounds for bedtime, before you go back to something hard
Rounds of 4 · 2 · 6, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, hold for 2, out for 6. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Five minutes here is cheaper than an hour of grinding. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
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 | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 2s | 4s |
| Exhale | 6s | 6s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 4 rounds this practice runs 48 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
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
Tips
- Set a timer for the rounds you want, so you are not watching the clock.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
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 5-5 breathing: 6 rounds for jet lag, when you feel restless rather than tired, 3-5-7 breathing for deep focus, if you are new to this or How to use 4-8 breathing for a long illness, when you are too tired to try hard.