Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
How to use Coherent 5-5 breathing for a night shift, if you are fitting this around other people
The pattern is 5 · 5, which is five seconds in, five seconds out — about six breaths a minute.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Match the length of the out-breath to the in-breath — about 5 seconds each way. It is designed to fit around other people’s schedules. Let the physical world hold your attention.
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 | 5s | 0s |
| Exhale | 5s | 5s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- just before you have to say something difficult
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- 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 Box breathing exercise for the hours after people leave — if you have done this a hundred times, How to use 3-5-7 breathing for heavy days, when your attention is scattered or 3-6 breathing for a long illness, when you have more time than usual.