Breathing exercise · 4 · 2 · 6
4-2-6 breathing for a grey day, when you want to be left alone
A 4 · 2 · 6 rhythm — a short hold in the middle, a long way out.
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. Nothing here asks anything of you socially. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
Long exhales are easy to do quietly, at a desk, in a queue, without anyone noticing.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 144 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
Tips
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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 How to use 5-7 breathing for a cold morning, Soft 4-7-8 breathing: 5 rounds for deep focus or Tight box breathing on a day that started badly.