Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing for anxious moments, if you have five quiet minutes
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. Five quiet minutes is enough. Ten is generous. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.
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 12 rounds this practice runs 144 seconds — about 2 minutes — 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
- before you open the email you have been avoiding
Tips
- The pauses should never feel like a competition. Shorten them if they do.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- 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 Soft 4-7-8 breathing: 4 rounds for a hospital waiting room, when you are doing this for the first time, Double-inhale sigh: 5 rounds for physical discomfort, when you only have a few minutes or 4-7-8 breathing: 10 rounds for a reset, if you are sceptical about all of this.