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Science/Data

Data

The cadence map

Every technique in the Exhaling library, ranked by breaths per minute and hold ratio, computed from the published pattern data. No estimated physiology.

Exhaling Research Desk, Editors, Exhaling

4 min read

Evidence · Strong

Key findings

  1. Breaths per minute is cycle length inverted: 60 ÷ (sum of phase seconds).
  2. Hold ratio is the share of the cycle spent at the top or bottom of the breath.
  3. Resonance-range techniques cluster near 5–6 breaths per minute with little or no hold.
  4. This table is derived from catalogued patterns, not from measured respiratory rate.

The table below is computed from the pattern field on each technique in the library. Breaths per minute equals 60 divided by cycle seconds. Hold ratio is hold-seconds divided by cycle seconds. It is a catalog of designed cadences, not a dataset of measured breathing.

TechniquePatternbpmHoldFamily
O2 Table (Apnea)5·20·5267%Train
CO2 Tolerance Table4·6·10350%Train
Nadi Shodhana with Retention4·8·8340%Steady
4-7-8 Breathing4·7·83.237%Settle
Box Breathing4·4·4·43.850%Steady
Viloma (Interrupted Breath)2·2·2·2·64.329%Train
Alternate Nostril Breathing4·4·4533%Steady
Progressive Relaxation Breathing4·2·6517%Settle
Extended Exhale4·850%Settle
Triangle Breathing4·4·4533%Steady
Dirga (Three-Part Breath)6·650%Anchor
Voo Breath4·850%Release
Coherent Breathing5.5·5.55.50%Steady
Cyclic Sighing3·1·75.50%Settle
Buteyko Control Pause3·4·45.536%Measure
Diaphragmatic Breathing5·560%Retrain
Bhramari (Humming Bee Breath)4·660%Settle
Moon Breath (Chandra Bhedana)4·660%Settle
Body-Scan Breathing4·660%Anchor
Ujjayi (Ocean Breath)5·560%Anchor
Sitali (Cooling Breath)4·660%Settle
Sitkari (Hissing Breath)4·660%Settle
Recovery Breathing4·660%Settle
Physiological Sigh2·1·66.70%Settle
Breath Counting4·47.50%Anchor
Samavritti (Equal Breathing)4·47.50%Steady
Sun Breath (Surya Bhedana)4·47.50%Ignite
Lion's Breath (Simhasana)4·47.50%Release
Pursed-Lip Breathing2·4100%Retrain
Cadence Breathing3·2120%Train
Tummo (Inner Fire)2·2150%Ignite
Wim Hof Method1.5·217.10%Ignite
Stimulating Breath1·1300%Ignite
Kapalabhati (Skull-Shining Breath)1·1300%Ignite
Breath of Fire1·1300%Ignite

Library techniques by breaths per minute, hold ratio, and primary family.

Exhaling technique catalog. Computed, not measured.

Techniques near 5–6 breaths per minute with a low hold ratio are the ones that sit in the resonance-frequency band discussed in the HRV literature. Faster cadences and high hold ratios are typically used for alertness, capacity, or assessment, not for daily down-regulation.

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