Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
How to use Coherent 5-5 breathing for bedtime, when you are at home and cannot settle
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. Being at home and unable to settle is a very specific problem. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
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 10 rounds this practice runs 100 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
- when you are the only person awake in the house
Tips
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- There are no holds in this one, which makes it a good choice if breath-holding makes you anxious.
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 4-8 breathing — 4 · 8 — for overwhelm, on a low-energy afternoon, Soft 4-7-8 breathing: 6 rounds for the middle of the night, when you are not in the mood or 4-7-8 breathing exercise for the morning after — when you cannot concentrate on anything else.