Resonance breathing (coherent breathing)
Equally long in and out, about 5.5 seconds each – roughly five and a half to six breaths per minute. At this pace your heartbeat swings along with your breath most strongly.
How it works
- 1Sit upright, breathe through your nose.
- 2Breathe in for 5.5 seconds with the growing circle – into the belly, not the shoulders.
- 3Without a pause, breathe out for 5.5 seconds.
- 4Keep it soft and even, never forcing air.
- 55 minutes, better 10 – the effect builds up.
What happens
Your pulse rises slightly as you breathe in and falls as you breathe out. At about six breaths per minute this swing lines up with a blood pressure reflex: heart rate variability peaks – the state HRV biofeedback trains on purpose (Lehrer & Gevirtz 2014).
What it is good for
A longer wind-down after a day of studying, before sleep or as a daily routine. A review found that slow breathing of this kind reliably raises vagally mediated HRV (Laborde et al. 2022). For a quick effect in two minutes: the physiological sigh.
Sources: Lehrer & Gevirtz 2014
Frequently asked questions
Does it have to be exactly 5.5 seconds?
No. Personal resonance frequency usually lies between 4.5 and 7 breaths per minute. 5.5 is a good starting point.
How often should I practise?
5 to 10 minutes a day does more than one long session a week.
Do I need a heart rate strap?
No. The circle sets the pace; a sensor is only needed for biofeedback.
More for “Calm down”
- Physiological sigh – the fastest way downThe double sigh – two breaths in through the nose, one long breath out through the mouth. Guided with a pacer, 2 minutes, free in your browser.
- Box breathing (4-4-4-4)Guided box breathing: 4 seconds in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold. With a pacer and sound, 3 minutes, free in your browser – before talks and exams.
- 4-7-8 breathing for sleep4 seconds in, 7 hold, 8 out: the 4-7-8 method guided with a breathing pacer. 2 minutes, free in your browser – and what is known about it.
Exercises are no substitute for help if you've been feeling bad for a while. Talk to your university's counselling service. In a crisis: call your local emergency number or a crisis line in your country.