Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing for Sunday evening, when the weather has kept you inside
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
Equal breathing: 6 seconds in, 6 seconds out, no holds at all. Bad weather is a decent excuse to stay in and do this. Stay with what you can actually feel.
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
- just before you have to say something difficult
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
Tips
- The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
- Keep the effort mild. If you can hear yourself breathing hard, slow it down.
- 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.