Settling Breath

A short, easy in-breath and a slower way out.

For when everything feels like too much. Very little to think about.

Evidence: Early evidence

Choose a length

Start · 1 min Start · 2 min Start · 3 min

Good for: When you feel flooded or keyed up and a long, slow rhythm would feel like effort.
Rhythm: In 3 · Out 5
Feel: Very gentle

Go gently. The in-breath is deliberately short and small. There is no need to fill up. If you feel light-headed, stop and breathe however feels natural.

Want to know why this works?

When you are very stirred up, a very slow rhythm can feel hard to follow. This one keeps the in-breath short and lets the out-breath be a little longer, so it asks less of you.

Show breathing science

Patterns that let the out-breath be a little longer have shown promise in early research. The studied pattern differs from ours, and no single ratio has been shown to be best.

Early evidence: Promising but limited or indirect research.

Sources

Balban MY, Neri E, Kogon MM, et al. Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine. 2023;4(1):100895. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895 (opens in a new tab)
Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K. Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: a meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Scientific Reports. 2023;13:432. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27247-y (opens in a new tab)

The evidence

Technical timing

3 s inhale, 5 s exhale (8 s cycle, 7.5 breaths per minute). Cycles fitted to the chosen duration.