Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing exercise for Sunday evening
A six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 6, out for 6, with nothing held in between. Repeat for as long as you have. When concentration is gone, work with what is left. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- 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 Box breathing — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — for a hospital waiting room, when the weather has kept you inside, 3-5-7 breathing for a grey day or Box breathing exercise for Monday morning.