Breathing exercise · 3 · 6
How to use 3-6 breathing for Friday evening, when you feel fine and want to stay that way
Rounds of 3 · 6, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 3 in, 6 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. Feeling fine is a good reason to do this, not a reason to skip it. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
The ratio matters more than the depth. Shallow but long beats deep and rushed.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 3s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 3s |
One round is 9 seconds. At the default 6 rounds this practice runs 54 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you are the only person awake in the house
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
Tips
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- 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 Box breathing — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — for Sunday evening, when you are not in the mood, Coherent 4-4 breathing for the commute, when you are somewhere noisy or Double-inhale sigh: 5 rounds for a ten-minute window, when you have been on screens all day.