Breathing exercise · 4 · 6
4-6 breathing for bedtime, if you have five quiet minutes
Simple counts — 4 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Five quiet minutes is enough. Ten is generous. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
The pause at the end of a long exhale is usually longer than you expect. That gap is part of the exercise.
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
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
Tips
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- There is no need to breathe deeply. Long and quiet is the aim.
- Because there is no pause, you can keep this going while walking or talking.
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: 10 rounds for the middle of the night, when you have already had a long week, How to use 7-11 breathing for the morning, when the day has been loud or 4-2-6 breathing exercise for a lonely evening — when you need something unremarkable.