Coherent breathing 5-5
Five seconds in, five seconds out: six breaths a minute.
49 breathings
Guided breathings
Every breathing draws its own curve. Pick one and breathe it, or read how it's done.
Breathing to Calm downSleepFocusWake upA quick resetBefore you speakFind balanceVoice and body
Calm
11 breathings
Resonant breathing 5.5-5.5
A little slower than coherent breathing: about five and a half breaths a minute.
4-6 breathing
Breathe out a little longer than you breathe in. The simplest place to start.
Long exhale 4-8
The exhale lasts twice as long as the inhale.
4-4-8 breathing
A short pause with the air in, then a long exhale.
7-11 breathing
Breathe in to a count of 7 and out to a count of 11, without strain.
2-to-1 breathing
The exhale is twice as long: 3 and 6, for anyone who prefers shorter breaths.
5-5-2 breathing
Like coherent breathing, with a brief rest before you breathe in again.
Cyclic sighing
Two inhales in a row through the nose and one long exhale through the mouth.
Pursed-lip breathing
Breathe in through the nose and out slowly, as if blowing on a candle without putting it out.
Belly breathing
The belly rises as you breathe in and falls as you breathe out: breathing with the diaphragm.
Sleep
4 breathings
4-7-8 breathing
In for 4, hold for 7, out through the mouth for 8. Four cycles are enough.
Lengthening breath
The exhale grows little by little, from 6 to 10 seconds, as you let go.
Moon breath (chandra bhedana)
Breathe in through the left nostril and out through the right.
Slowing down
Starts close to your pace right now and gets slower every few cycles.
Focus
5 breathings
Box breathing 4-4-4-4
Four equal counts: in, hold, out, hold.
Slow box 5-5-5-5
Box breathing with five seconds a side: three breaths a minute.
Triangle breathing 4-4-4
Three equal counts: in, hold and out.
Equal breathing (sama vritti)
Breathe in and out for the same count, with no pauses.
4-4-6-2 breathing
A box with a longer exhale and a shorter rest.
Energy
7 breathings
Bellows breath (bhastrika)
Twenty fast, strong breaths through the nose, one hold and a rest. Three rounds.
Breath of fire
Fast, even breathing through the nose, driven from the belly, with rests.
Kapalabhati
Short, active exhales; the inhale comes by itself. Three rounds of thirty.
Deep breathing rounds
Thirty full breaths, a hold with empty lungs and a recovery hold. Three rounds.
Sun breath (surya bhedana)
Breathe in through the right nostril and out through the left.
Breath of joy
Three short inhales in a row and one big exhale through the mouth.
Wake-up breath
A few even breaths, ten livelier ones and a pause. Twice through.
Balance
4 breathings
Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana)
In through one nostril, out through the other, and back again.
Alternate nostril breathing with holds
Alternate nostril breathing with a full pause and a double-length exhale.
Soft breathing with a pause
Small, quiet breaths through the nose, with a comfortable pause on empty.
Ladder 5-10-15-20
Three cycles at 5 seconds a phase, then at 10, 15 and 20.
Traditions
9 breathings
Ujjayi, the ocean breath
Through the nose, with the throat slightly narrowed: it sounds like the sea.
Bhramari, the bee breath
Breathe out with a long, soft hum, lips closed.
Sitali, the cooling breath
Breathe in through a curled tongue like a straw and out through the nose.
Three-part breath (dirga)
Fill the belly, the ribs and the chest, then let it all go at once.
Viloma, the interrupted breath
Breathe in on three steps, pausing on each, and breathe out in one go.
Lion's breath (simhasana)
Breathe in through the nose and out with your mouth wide open and your tongue out.
The 1-4-2 ratio
The classic pranayama ratio: in for 4, hold for 16, out for 8.
Counting breaths (susokukan)
Count each exhale from one to ten, then start again.
Qigong abdominal breathing
Slow, even and low, with your attention below the navel.
Voice and sport
5 breathings
The singer's exhale
In for 3, then release the air in an even thread that grows from 12 to 20 seconds.
Air for wind players
A quick breath in through the mouth and one long, steady stream out.
2:2 running rhythm
Two steps breathing in and two breathing out, at running pace.
3:2 running rhythm
Three steps in and two out: the exhale lands on a different foot each time.
Catching your breath
After effort: nose in, pursed lips out, twice as long.
Moments
4 breathings
One-minute pause
Six slow breaths. Exactly one minute.
Before you speak in public
Two minutes to settle before a meeting, an exam or a stage.
After a scare
Three long sighs and a minute of slow breathing.
Screen break
Two even minutes to drop your shoulders and rest your eyes between tasks.