Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing — 6 · 6 — for a grey day, when you only have a few minutes
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. A few minutes is the whole requirement. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
It gives your body a rhythm to settle into, without asking it to do anything clever.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 6s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 6s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
Tips
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- 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 Beginner box breathing exercise for a ten-minute window — when you are doing this for the first time, 4-7-8 breathing for creative work, after a long day or Physiological sigh for deep focus, when you have been putting it off.