Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
How to use Coherent 5-5 breathing for anxious moments, if you have done this a hundred times
Simple counts — 5 · 5 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count 5 on the way in and 5 on the way out. Keep them the same length. If you have done this a hundred times, change one small thing tonight. 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 | 5s | 0s |
| Exhale | 5s | 5s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 80 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
Tips
- Notice which part of the breath feels tight, and reduce that count first.
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- No holds means no buildup. The rhythm does all the work.
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 Uneven box breathing for a long illness, when you have been on screens all day, Box breathing — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — for heated moments, if you have five quiet minutes or Uneven box breathing: 6 rounds for the end of the working day, if you are sceptical about all of this.