4-6 breathing for the early months, when you feel fine and want to stay that way

How it works

The ratio is 4 in, 6 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. Feeling fine is a good reason to do this, not a reason to skip it. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.

Why it can help

The exhale is doing the counting for you, which means you have less attention left over to worry with.

The pattern, in seconds

One round is 10 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 50 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

• in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
• when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
• when the day has been fine but you still feel braced

Tips

• Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
• Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
• No holds means no buildup. The rhythm does all the work.

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.