Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing: 4 rounds for travel days
A 6 · 6 rhythm — six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Equal breathing: 6 seconds in, 6 seconds out, no holds at all. Waiting is dead time you can spend on this instead. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
Coherent breathing is often described as the most boring useful thing you can do with ten minutes.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 6s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 6s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 4 rounds this practice runs 48 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
Tips
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
- 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 3-5-7 breathing exercise for being unwell, How to use Beginner box breathing for a lonely evening, when nothing else has worked today or Beginner box breathing: 8 rounds.