Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
Coherent 5-5 breathing exercise for anxious moments — when you need to stop thinking about work
Simple counts — 5 · 5 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Equal breathing: 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out, no holds at all. Work thoughts are allowed to be there. They just do not get to drive. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
Equal breathing tends to be easier on people who find holds uncomfortable or anxiety-provoking.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 5s | 0s |
| Exhale | 5s | 5s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- 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 Slow box breathing — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — for the early months, if you are sceptical about all of this, How to use 7-11 breathing for a study session, when you are on your own or 5-7 breath (5 · 7) for bedtime, when you are somewhere unfamiliar.