Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing exercise for physical discomfort — when you are at home and cannot settle
Simple counts — 6 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Equal breathing: 6 seconds in, 6 seconds out, no holds at all. Being at home and unable to settle is a very specific problem. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
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 4 rounds this practice runs 48 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
Tips
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- 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.