Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
Coherent 5-5 breathing exercise for heated moments — when you have tried everything else
Rounds of 5 · 5, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 5 seconds, out for 5 seconds. Same speed both ways, no pauses. This assumes you have already tried the obvious things. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
The pace is roughly what you would breathe if you were absorbed in something and had forgotten to be stressed.
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
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- before a presentation, in the corridor
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- 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 How to use 6-2-6-2 breathing for bedtime, when you need to stop thinking about work, Physiological sigh (2 · 6) for the morning, when you feel fine and want to stay that way or Coherent 6-6 breath (6 · 6) for a cold morning, on a low-energy afternoon.