How to use 3-6 breathing for a lonely evening, when you have been on screens all day (3 · 6)

How it works

Breathe in through your nose for 3 counts. Then out for 6, slowly, without pushing. After a day of screens, the eyes and the shoulders need this first. Notice what's solid: the floor, the chair, your own weight.

Why it can help

It is hard to stay braced against something while breathing out slowly. The two do not sit well together.

The pattern, in seconds

Phase	Length	Starts at
Inhale	3s	0s
Exhale	6s	3s

One round is 9 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 72 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
when someone has annoyed you and you need to not react
in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading

Tips

Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
Do it with your shoulders still. The movement should be in your ribs and belly.
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.