Three minutes is the minimum effective dose for a meaningful breathing session — long enough to shift your physiological state but short enough to fit into any gap in your day. At this duration, you can complete approximately 18 coherence breaths, 12 box breathing cycles, or 15 extended exhale cycles — each option producing a measurable change in your autonomic nervous system balance.
The 3-minute breathing session is the workhorse of daily breathwork practice. Use it before meetings, between tasks, after stressful interactions, during breaks, or any time you need to reset. Unlike 1-minute micro-sessions (which provide a quick reset) or 5-10 minute sessions (which require dedicated time), the 3-minute session hits the practical sweet spot of meaningful benefit with minimal time commitment.
A practical challenge: set a recurring timer for three 3-minute breathing sessions throughout your workday — morning, midday, and afternoon. This 9-minute total daily investment produces more cumulative benefit than most people get from their entire wellness routine. The distributed approach keeps your nervous system regulated all day rather than providing a single burst of regulation that fades.