Breathing exercise · 2 · 6
Physiological sigh (2 · 6) for a noisy room, when you need to stop thinking about work
Simple counts — 2 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In through the nose, in again a little more, then out through the mouth for a long, slow count. Work thoughts are allowed to be there. They just do not get to drive. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
The second short inhale re-inflates the small air sacs that collapse when you are tense. The long exhale then clears them.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 2s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 2s |
One round is 8 seconds. At the default 6 rounds this practice runs 48 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
- when the afternoon has gone flat
Tips
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- Practising when you are calm makes it available when you are not.
- Because there is no pause, you can keep this going while walking or talking.
Please note
The double inhale is gentle, but if you feel lightheaded, reduce it to a single inhale and a long exhale. Stop if you feel dizzy. If you have a heart or lung condition, check with a doctor before starting a new breathing practice.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try 6-2-6-2 breathing for heavy days, when the weather has kept you inside, Slow box breath (5 · 5 · 5 · 5) for a stolen moment of caregiving, after a long day or Gentle box breathing exercise for a grey day — when you have woken up too early.