Breathing exercise · 4 · 6
4-6 breathing: 10 rounds for the commute, if you are fitting this around other people
4 · 6 breathing: in for four, out for six.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts. Then out for 6, slowly, without pushing. It is designed to fit around other people’s schedules. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
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 |
| 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
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- There are no holds in this one, which makes it a good choice if breath-holding makes you anxious.
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 7-11 breathing — 7 · 11 — for the hours after people leave, before you go back to something hard, How to use 4-8 breathing for a study session, when you have more time than usual or How to use Tight box breathing for the hours after people leave, when you cannot concentrate on anything else.