Breathing exercise · 4 · 6
4-6 breathing exercise for days when everything is too much — if you are fitting this around other people
A 4 · 6 rhythm — 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. It is designed to fit around other people’s schedules. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
It is hard to stay braced against something while breathing out slowly. The two do not sit well together.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 4s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 6 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- 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 3-5-7 breathing — 3 · 5 · 7 — for jet lag, when you are somewhere unfamiliar, 3-6 breathing exercise for a big decision — if you have done this a hundred times or Coherent 4-4 breathing for a big decision, when you have tried everything else.