Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing — 6 · 6 — for travel days, when you have already had a long week
A 6 · 6 rhythm — six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count 6 on the way in and 6 on the way out. Keep them the same length. Long weeks are cumulative. This is a small subtraction. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
This pace is slow enough to feel different and fast enough to keep doing for ten minutes.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 6s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 6s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 144 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
Tips
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- 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.