How to use 4-2-6 breathing for Friday evening, when you have woken up too early

How it works

Take 4 counts to breathe in, hold for 2, and 6 to breathe out. Keep the out-breath unhurried. Waking too early is a specific kind of frustrating. This helps with the frustration. Stay with what you can actually feel.

Why it can help

A long, unforced exhale tends to slow the heart a little. You may notice it in your chest before anywhere else.

The pattern, in seconds

Phase	Length	Starts at
Inhale	4s	0s
Hold	2s	4s
Exhale	6s	6s

One round is 12 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

before you walk into a room full of people
at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
when you notice your shoulders are up near your ears

Tips

Stop after a few rounds if you feel dizzy, and breathe normally for a minute.
Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.

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.