Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing for the morning after, when you have just finished work
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
Breathe in for 6 seconds, out for 6 seconds. Same speed both ways, no pauses. The gap right after work is the easiest one to use. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
At about six breaths a minute, the changes in heart rate and breathing tend to line up. That alignment is the whole idea.
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 your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
- when the day has been fine but you still feel braced
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- 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 How to use Slow box breathing for a reset, when you are somewhere noisy, 4-8 breathing for the hours after people leave, when you have tried everything else or Box breathing for the early months, when you have more time than usual.