Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
Coherent 5-5 breathing for physical discomfort
5 · 5 breathing: five seconds in, five seconds out — about six breaths a minute.
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. This assumes you have already tried the obvious things. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 50 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- before a presentation, in the corridor
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
Tips
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- 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 4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 7 · 8 — for a noisy room, when nothing else has worked today, How to use Double-inhale sigh for creative work or Box breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for deep focus.