Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing exercise for a break at work — after a long day
Simple counts — 6 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
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. Use it at the end of a long day, not at the start of one. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
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 5 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
Tips
- Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- 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 4-2-6 breathing exercise for physical discomfort — after a difficult conversation, 4-2-6 breathing for the early months, when you are somewhere unfamiliar or 4-8 breath (4 · 8) for the morning, if you are sceptical about all of this.