Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
Coherent 5-5 breathing exercise for travel days — when you are on your own
The pattern is 5 · 5, which is 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 on your own is not required, but it does make this simpler. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
This pace is slow enough to feel different and fast enough to keep doing for ten minutes.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 5s | 0s |
| Exhale | 5s | 5s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- just before you have to say something difficult
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- 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.
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try 5-2-7 breath (5 · 2 · 7) for being unwell, on a low-energy afternoon, 6-2-6-2 breathing — 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 — for the morning, when you want to be left alone or 6-2-6-2 breath (6 · 2 · 6 · 2) for exam nerves, if you are fitting this around other people.