Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing: 8 rounds for bedtime, if you are fitting this around other people
A 6 · 6 rhythm — six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Breathe in for 6 seconds, out for 6 seconds. Same speed both ways, no pauses. It is designed to fit around other people’s schedules. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
There is no hold and no ratio to remember, so it is very hard to get wrong.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 6s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 6s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
- when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
Tips
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- No holds means no buildup. The rhythm does all the work.
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 2-1-4 breathing for the morning, when you want to be left alone, Physiological sigh breathing — 2 · 6 — for a hot day, when you are doing this for the first time or 4-2-6 breathing: 12 rounds for a ten-minute window, when nothing else has worked today.