Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing — 6 · 6 — for a cold morning, when you feel restless rather than tired
6 · 6 breathing: six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 6, out for 6, with nothing held in between. Repeat for as long as you have. Restless is different from tired, and it needs a different approach. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
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 | 6s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 6s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
Tips
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
- 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 Double-inhale sigh exercise for a lonely evening — when the weather has kept you inside, Coherent 4-4 breath (4 · 4) for bedtime, on a low-energy afternoon or Double-inhale sigh — 3 · 8 — for a stolen moment of caregiving, after a difficult conversation.