Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
Coherent 5-5 breathing for a noisy room
Simple counts — 5 · 5 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Do this sitting up, not lying down, if you have just eaten. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
The effect is cumulative rather than instant. Five minutes is usually where people notice something.
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 you notice your shoulders are up near your ears
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- 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 Coherent 5-5 breathing for a break, How to use 7-11 breathing for the commute or Box breath for the hours after people leave.