The 5-minute humming reset

How to do it

1. Sit comfortably, shoulders relaxed. Set a timer for 5 minutes.
2. Breathe in through your nose for about 4 seconds.
3. Hum out with your lips closed for about 6 seconds, a low, comfortable "mmm". Feel the buzz in your face and chest.
4. Repeat for 5 minutes. That is about 6 breaths a minute. If it's easy, lengthen the hum a little.
5. Notice how you feel before and after, on a scale of 0–10.

Why it works

• Breathing at around 6 breaths a minute, with a longer out-breath, reliably increases heart rate variability, a marker of calm, recovery and self-regulation (meta-analyses).
• Humming slows and lengthens the out-breath automatically, which makes this pace easy to keep.
• Humming also raises nitric oxide in the nose many times over compared with quiet breathing (controlled lab studies).

This is a wellness exercise, not a medical treatment. Stop if you feel dizzy. If you have a health concern, consult a healthcare professional.

Practise with Humming Trainer