Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing exercise for a night shift
A 6 · 6 rhythm — six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Equal breathing: 6 seconds in, 6 seconds out, no holds at all. Too tired to try hard is exactly the right amount of tired for this. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
Five or six seconds in and the same out lands you near six breaths a minute, which is roughly where the cardiovascular system is happiest.
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 read the same paragraph three times
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
- Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
- 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 Coherent 6-6 breathing, 4-6 breathing: 10 rounds for a lonely evening or Double-inhale sigh.