Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing — 6 · 6 — for anxious moments, when you want to be left alone
The pattern is 6 · 6, which is six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Match the length of the out-breath to the in-breath — about 6 seconds each way. Nothing here asks anything of you socially. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
Six breaths a minute is slow enough to be noticeable and unremarkable enough to keep up.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 6s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 6s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 6 rounds this practice runs 72 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when the weather has been grey for a week
Tips
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- 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.