Try the Coherence Breath

Part of a healthy and well-functioning breathing system is the ability and adaptability that the system has. Much of our health has been been measured on heart rate and blood pressure. A missing element is Heart Rate Variability (HRV). HRV is variability in-between each heart beat. The more variability you have between your heart beats the healthier the system.

When HRV drops, it has been found to be a strong indicator for sickness, faitigue or overwhelm.

The coherence breath is a balanced breathing pattern of 5 breaths per minute - first outlined in Stephen Elliots book The new Science of Breath, this breathing pattern has been found to optimise HRV.

The Coherence Breath first coined by Stephen Elliot in The New Science of Breath found that using the coherence breath can optimise your HRV. The Coherence Breath: A balanced inhale and exhale, we are breathing 5 breaths per minute (5.5 breaths to be more precise). This is also known as the therapeutic zone in Dan Brule's Book Just Breathe. 

I invite you do to this practice for at least 5 minutes and see how it feels for you. 

Please remember that there is no perfect way, there is only what works for you. So as you read, take the time to notice what feels good for you and try it.

The Coherence Breath: a 5 Minute Practice

Sit or lie down as comfortably as you can, close your mouth and breathe through the nose.

1. Breathe in for 6 seconds. a.Breathe close to full capacity but not totally. 2.Breathe out for 6 seconds.

   1. Breathe close to empty but not fully.

2. Continue for at least 5 minutes.

   1. But there is no limit, you can do this for as long as you like.

   2. If 6 seconds feels too long, start with 4 or 5 seconds each way

   3. If you are over 6 ft tall, you may want to breathe up to 7 seconds in and out

   4. For children, try with 4 seconds in and out.