Breathing exercise · 4 · 6
4-6 breathing exercise for physical discomfort — if you have done this a hundred times
The pattern is 4 · 6, which is in for four, out for six.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 4 in, 6 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. If you have done this a hundred times, change one small thing tonight. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
The long exhale is the working part. A slow out-breath is one of the few direct levers you have on your own arousal level.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 4s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 4 rounds this practice runs 40 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
Tips
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they 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 Physiological sigh exercise for Sunday evening — when you are not sure this will work, 4-2-6 breathing — 4 · 2 · 6 — for the middle of the night, if you have done this a hundred times or 5-2-7 breathing for the hours after people leave, when nothing else has worked today.