HarmoniHz

Coherent Breathing

About 5.5 in, 5.5 out — the heart-rate-variability sweet spot near 5.5 breaths per minute.

Ready

Why practice Coherent Breathing

The best-studied slow-breathing pace: around 5-6 breaths per minute, where heart-rate variability peaks for most adults. The workhorse of daily practice.

How to do it

  1. In through the nose for about 5.5 seconds.
  2. Out for about 5.5 — no holds, a smooth wheel turning.
  3. Practice 10-20 minutes daily.

Good to know

None specific; this is the gentlest pattern in the catalog.

More patterns

  • Box Breathing — Four equal sides: in, hold, out, hold — 4 seconds each. The steadying classic used by Navy SEALs.
  • 4-7-8 Relaxing Breath — In for 4, hold for 7, out for 8. The long exhale flips the body's relaxation switch.
  • Calming Breath 8-8 — Eight seconds in, eight seconds out: slow symmetric breathing at about 3.75 breaths per minute.
  • Deep Steady Breathing — The 8-8 rhythm carried by rhythmic beats — breathing you can feel.