Breathing exercise · 6 · 2 · 6 · 2
6-2-6-2 breath for a stolen moment of caregiving
Rounds of 6 · 2 · 6 · 2, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
A quicker square — 6, 2, 6, 2 — for when you need to be alert rather than calm. Simple is the point. There is no advanced version to graduate to. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
Faster, even breathing tends to feel more alerting than slow breathing. That is the intent here.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 6s | 0s |
| Hold | 2s | 6s |
| Exhale | 6s | 8s |
| Hold again | 2s | 14s |
One round is 16 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 160 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
Please note
The counts are short but the rhythm is brisk. If you feel dizzy, lightheaded or short of breath, stop and breathe normally. Do not use this pattern while driving. If you have a heart or lung condition, check with a doctor first.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Box breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for a hard week, Coherent 5-5 breathing exercise for jet lag or Coherent 5-5 breath (5 · 5) for the morning.