Breathing exercise · 5 · 5
How to use Coherent 5-5 breathing for the commute, when the weather has kept you inside
Rounds of 5 · 5, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Equal breathing: 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out, no holds at all. Bad weather is a decent excuse to stay in and do this. 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
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
Tips
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- Try it lying down with your knees bent if sitting upright feels like effort.
- 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.