Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
How to use Coherent 6-6 breathing for physical discomfort, when you are waiting for something
Simple counts — 6 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Match the length of the out-breath to the in-breath — about 6 seconds each way. Waiting is dead time you can spend on this instead. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
The pace is roughly what you would breathe if you were absorbed in something and had forgotten to be stressed.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 6s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 6s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
Tips
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- Because there is no pause, you can keep this going while walking or talking.
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 breath (4 · 8) for a noisy room, when you have already had a long week, 2-1-4 breathing for Friday evening, when you are cold and want to be warm or Coherent 4-4 breathing for a big decision, when you have tried everything else.