The Power of Coherent Breathing
- Laura Van Tatenhove
- May 24
- 6 min read
“What has to be taught first, is the breath.”
Confucius
In the introduction to my Better Breathing for Better Health workshop I like to take a moment to talk about the profound role that breathing has in terms of our sense of survival and of being alive. I remind those attending that it is our respiratory system that keeps us alive when all else fails, that it is our ability to take in and process oxygen that ultimately differentiates life from death and that whilst it’s possible to continue living days, weeks, months and years without food and water, a compromised immune system, severe inflammation, advanced dementia or brain damage it is almost impossible to survive more than 6 minutes without taking a breath. In short, it starts and ends with our breath and whether it’s consciously or unconsciously this understanding is deeply embedded into our psyche.
I draw attention to this vital statistic as a way of emphasising the importance of what we are dealing with when we work with the breath, either our own or guiding others, and that when we help people breathe better we are affecting change at this very level of survival. If we create a safe and welcoming environment, move slowly, listen and observe ourselves and/or others attentively, there is the potential of touching others deeply with this work, into spaces where there can be pain, fear, insecurity, repressed emotions but also hidden joy and a profound sense of clarity and liberation. And because the breath is so linked to our sense of what it means to be alive, it is super responsive to our emotional state and acts as a kind of barometer for most of our physiological functions, all of which means its capacity to be a tool for healing and health is enormous.
In saying all this it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to breathing exercises and so I thought I’d start with the first breath exercise I learnt which was in an Iyengar/Hatha yoga class in Sydney. In this particular yoga tradition it is common to ‘hold’ the asanas (physical postures) for 5 breaths and move between postures at a rate of about 5-6 breaths per minute, maintaining this rhythm for the entire class of 1 1/2- 2 hours. When I started yoga I’d just given up smoking so this was really challenging for me and yet I maintain, to this day, that much of my ability to kick the nicotine habit was because I replaced it with this breath work with movement practise.
So what IS Coherent Breathing?
Coherent Breathing, otherwise known as Resonant Breathing, the 5:5 breath or
Water Breath, involves inhaling and exhaling through the nose to a count of 5 seconds. When we breathe in for five seconds and out for 5 seconds it reduces our overall respiration rate to about 5.5 breaths per minute which, in turn, is considered an ideal way of bringing our body into a state of homeostasis, regulating our nervous system regulation, bringing emotional balance and improving mental clarity. There are no contraindications with this breath exercise and it can be done as much and as often as one likes.
Where did it originate?
What I find fascinating about coherent breathing, aside from the personal benefits, is the way it appears, in one form or another, in so many different cultures and religions throughout the ages. There is something about this rhythm of 5-6 breaths per minute that is recognised around the world and throughout human existence as a tool for health, wellbeing and connection.
James Nestor, for his book Breath, conducted some fabulous research around coherent breathing and discovered the following:
Buddhist monks most popular mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, each spoken phrase lasts 6 seconds with 6 seconds to inhale before repeating.
The traditional chant of Om, ‘the sacred sound of the universe’ used in Jainism and other traditions, takes 6 seconds to sing with a pause of 6 seconds to inhale.
The sa ta na ma chant, one of the best known techniques in Kundalini yoga, also takes 6 seconds to vocalise, followed by 6 seconds to inhale
The technique called khechari, intended to help boost physical and spiritual health and overcome disease, involves placing the tongue above the soft palate so that its pointed toward the nasal cavity. The deep slow breaths taken during this khechari each take six seconds.
Japanese, African, Hawaiian, Native American, Buddhist, Taoist, Christian- these cultures and religions all had somehow developed the same prayer techniques, repeating the same breathing patterns.
The pattern of the rosary is 5.5 breaths per minute.
The health benefits of coherent breathing.
Michael Stone, when talking about coherent breathing describes it as a way of returning the body to it’s ‘factory settings’ and offers the same benefits as meditation for people who don’t want to meditate or find it too difficult, the healing touch of prayer for those who are not religious and for the more scientifically oriented, puts the body back into a state of homeostasis. Some of the physiological benefits are:
1. The functions of the heart, circulation and nervous system co-ordinate to peak efficiency. In our day to day life it's very common that our breathing, blood pressure, heart rate and even brain waves are functioning at different rates, often at odds with one another. With coherent (literally meaning ‘to stick together) breathing these elements start to align which, in turn, can help reduce stress, improve heart rate variability (heart health) and metabolism, lower blood pressure and improve emotional stability.
2. Brings our nervous system into alignment. When we are stressed the sympathetic chain of our autonomic nervous system is often over-stimulated. This can result in an elevated heart rate, over active adrenals and high blood pressure which, in turn, adversely affects the digestive system, blood sugar regulation, immune function, emotional stability and mental health. When we practise the 5:5 breath we stimulate the other half of the ANS, the parasympathetic chain, which relaxes everything, creating space for our heart rate and blood pressure to drop, digestion to resume and greater emotional and mental stability and resilience.
When we breathe at a rate of 5-6 breaths per minute we bring our HRV, rate of respiration and blood pressure into alignment. Image from The Science of HeartMath Institute 3. Patrick Mc Keown, in his book The Breathing Cure, demonstrates that when we breathe at the rate of 5-6 breaths per minute we increase how much oxygen is absorbed and taken up in our tissues by up to 20%. Consider this over the course of a day, a week, a year, a lifetime and that is A LOT more food for our brain, our muscles, our heart etc. Put simply, when we breathe at 12 breaths per minute the volume of air that reaches the alveoli is 4.2 litres. At 6 breaths per minute, it increases to 5.1 litres. This represents a 20% increase in breathing efficiency.
Guided instructions for coherent breathing
Sit comfortably or lie down (knees bent or straight out in front) so that the spine is straight and the head is positioned on top of the spine.
Place the tip of your tongue inside your mouth and just above your top teeth. This encourages relaxation through the jaw and opens the throat.
Start by breathing in and out through the nose.
When you feel ready to start, inhale to the count of 5 seconds and then exhale to the count of 5 seconds. There will be a very slight pause at the end of the inhale and exhale but breath retention is not the aim of this particular exercise. We want to create a nice smooth flow of air in and out.
Repeat 10 times, 3 times per day. (although this breath is valuable at any time of the day and even if you only manage 3-5 breaths it will be beneficial.
NB
If it is not possible to maintain the 5:5 rhythm (if you feel breathless, dizzy, anxious) reduce the rate to 3 seconds in and 3 seconds out. With regular practise this will improve reasonably quickly.
Ideally this is a breath that is done through the nose and many of its benefits (such as filtering, warming and humidifying the air, adding friction to the breath which increases oxygen uptake and more) arise from utilising the nasal cavity. If this is not possible try sipping the air through pursed lips or a straw and in the meantime practise nasal clearing exercises to open the nasal passages.
Once coherent breathing is familiar and comfortable try quietening the sound of the breath and bringing it into the back of the throat (otherwise known as ujayi breathing).
For even better results bring the breath down into the diaphragm, initiating and releasing the breath from the abdomen and keeping the ribcage and the shoulders quiet and relaxed.
If the aim is meditative attempt 10 rounds without losing focus on the inhale and exhale If your mind begins to wander start back at number one. (it’s so much harder than you think!!).
For more information or to book your place on the Better Breathing for Better Health workshop follow this link
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