Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
Coherent 5-5 breath (5 · 5) for Monday morning, when you are at home and cannot settle
5 · 5 breathing: 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. Being at home and unable to settle is a very specific problem. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
No holds means no urge to gasp, which makes it the easiest version to do in public.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 5s | 0s |
| Exhale | 5s | 5s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 6 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- 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.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- 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.