Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
Coherent 5-5 breath (5 · 5) for bedtime, when you are waiting for something
The pattern is 5 · 5, which is five seconds in, five seconds out — about six breaths a minute.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count 5 on the way in and 5 on the way out. Keep them the same length. Waiting is dead time you can spend on this instead. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
At about six breaths a minute, the changes in heart rate and breathing tend to line up. That alignment is the whole idea.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 5s | 0s |
| Exhale | 5s | 5s |
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
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- There are no holds in this one, which makes it a good choice if breath-holding makes you anxious.
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 Gentle box breathing: 10 rounds for a hot day, when you cannot concentrate on anything else, Coherent 6-6 breathing — 6 · 6 — for a hot day, when the house is busy or 7-11 breathing — 7 · 11 — for heavy days, when you have already had a long week.