Breathing exercise · 4 · 2 · 6
4-2-6 breathing for a night shift
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. Pick this one when you are short on time. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
Because the exhale is long, the next inhale usually arrives on its own, without you having to pull for it.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
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 4-2-6 breathing: 8 rounds for a noisy room, Coherent 6-6 breath (6 · 6) for jet lag or How to use Coherent 6-6 breathing.