Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
Coherent 5-5 breathing: 10 rounds for a hard week, if you are doing this instead of scrolling
Rounds of 5 · 5, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Equal breathing: 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out, no holds at all. Choosing this over scrolling counts as a good decision, even a small one. Stay with what you can actually feel.
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
- when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- before you walk into a room full of people
Tips
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Tight box breath (4 · 1 · 4 · 1) for the morning after, when you only have a few minutes, How to use Coherent 6-6 breathing for physical discomfort, when you are waiting for something or 3-6 breathing: 5 rounds for being unwell, when you have been putting it off.