Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing exercise for a noisy room — when you have just finished work
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
Count 6 on the way in and 6 on the way out. Keep them the same length. The gap right after work is the easiest one to use. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
Why it can help
The steadiness is the point. You are giving your body a metronome.
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 five minutes and no idea where to start
- just before you have to say something difficult
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
Tips
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- 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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Slow box breathing — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — for a break at work, if you have done this a hundred times, How to use Gentle box breathing for bedtime, when you have been on screens all day or How to use 3-6 breathing for creative work, when you have been meaning to start.