Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
Coherent 5-5 breathing: 6 rounds for heated moments, when you are not in the mood
Rounds of 5 · 5, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 5, out for 5, with nothing held in between. Repeat for as long as you have. Not being in the mood is a normal starting point. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
There is no hold and no ratio to remember, so it is very hard to get wrong.
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 someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- Nothing is held here, so there is no moment where you are waiting for permission to breathe.
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.