Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing exercise for the morning — when you need something unremarkable
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
Breathe in for 6 seconds, out for 6 seconds. Same speed both ways, no pauses. Nothing dramatic happens here, and that is deliberate. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.
Why it can help
It is a good first exercise if every other pattern feels like too many instructions.
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
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
Tips
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- Keep your jaw loose. People clench it without noticing during holds.
- 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 breath (6 · 6) for a reset, when you are somewhere noisy, 4-2-6 breathing exercise for a hard conversation — when you need to stop thinking about work or 4-6 breathing — 4 · 6 — for coming down after exercise, when you have been putting it off.