Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
Coherent 5-5 breath (5 · 5) for a noisy room, when you need something unremarkable
Simple counts — 5 · 5 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Match the length of the out-breath to the in-breath — about 5 seconds each way. Nothing dramatic happens here, and that is deliberate. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
It is a good first exercise if every other pattern feels like too many instructions.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 5s | 0s |
| Exhale | 5s | 5s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 100 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- before you walk into a room full of people
Tips
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- 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.