3-5-6 breathing is designed to drop your nervous system into deep relaxation and gears the body for sleep.
You've probably heard of 4-7-8 breathing and this is just a condensed version of the same practice.
The idea here is to help get you in a rhythm of consciously controlling your breath from a place of ease.
It is a version of triangle breathing but instead of equal parts on all sides of the triangle,
The exhale will be twice as long as the inhale.
We'll inhale through the nose as we count to three.
We'll hold at the top of the breath for a count of five and then we'll exhale completely through your mouth with a whooshing sound.
So think pursed lips rounding at the edge for the count of six.
This will mark one cycle.
Now the challenge here is to manage your breathing so you don't feel hungry for air and the focus will be on the extended exhales.
We want to be sure that the breath is coming from deep within your diaphragm so if it's helpful you can place one hand on your belly and feel the rise of the inhale and the fall on the exhale from that belly.
We will do 10 rounds together.
Let's give it a try.
You can do this one lying in bed or find a comfortable seated position.
We'll soften our gaze and we'll close our eyes.
Just relax through your face and shoulder.
We'll begin by exhaling all the air out and inhaling into the nose for the count of one,
Two,
Three.
Holding here at the top for the count of one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and exhaling out the mouth through pursed lips for a count of six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
That's one round.
Let's continue.
Inhaling to the belly for one,
Two,
Three.
Holding here at the top for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and exhaling out through pursed lips for six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Great job.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three.
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and exhale through the mouth six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Empty at the bottom into the belly.
One,
Two,
Three.
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and exhale six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three.
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three.
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and exhale for six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three.
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale for six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three.
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Two more rounds.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three.
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three.
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and exhale for six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
And one.
Just go back to your natural breath.
Eyes can stay soft,
Body's relaxed,
Calm,
Ready for sleep,
Mind is clear.
Resist the urge to jump on your phone or watch mindless programming.
Instead,
Carry this state of mind into your sleep state.
My name is Mary of BreathMindset.
Breathe well,
Friends.
