Breathing exercise · 4 · 6
4-6 breath (4 · 6) for jet lag, on a low-energy afternoon
The pattern is 4 · 6, which is in for four, out for six.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, out for 6. The exhale is longer than the inhale — that is the entire instruction. Low-energy afternoons are what this was written for. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
The ratio matters more than the depth. Shallow but long beats deep and rushed.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 4s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 100 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before you walk into a room full of people
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- Nothing is held here, so there is no moment where you are waiting for permission to breathe.
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 Tight box breathing: 5 rounds for exam nerves, if you have done this a hundred times, How to use 3-6 breathing for creative work, when you have been meaning to start or 3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for a hard week, when you have been meaning to start.