Breathing exercise · 6 · 2 · 6 · 2
6-2-6-2 breathing — 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 — for a noisy room, after a long day
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. Use it at the end of a long day, not at the start of one. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
The brief holds keep the pattern from sliding into the shallow, drifting breathing of a tired afternoon.
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
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
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 7-11 breathing exercise for a break at work — when you are not in the mood, 4-6 breathing for a ten-minute window, when you are not in the mood or Tight box breathing for coming down after exercise, if you are fitting this around other people.