Breathing exercise · 4 · 2 · 6
4-2-6 breathing for the early months, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
A a short hold in the middle, a long way out pattern, counted for you on screen.
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. It travels well. Hotels, spare rooms, other people’s sofas. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
You can keep the in-breath completely ordinary. Only the out-breath needs to be longer.
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
- when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- just before you have to say something difficult
Tips
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- 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.