TikTok Says Breath Synchronization Is A Sure-Fire Intimacy Hack

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to create intimacy with your partner. Sometimes all it takes is an easy trick to keep the spark alive in your relationship — like kissing your partner for six seconds at a time — and the latest intimacy hack to go viral on TikTok is simple but effective. The new trick is all about channeling your vulnerability by synching your breathing with your partner’s breathing, though it might be harder than you’d think.

The relationship tip began making its rounds on TikTok after relationship therapist Lauren Consul (@laurenconsul) introduced the concept to the FYP on March 14. “Most couples can’t even last one minute doing this simple but deceptively challenging intimacy-building exercise,” the expert shares. If you and your partner are up for the test, you’ll want to lay in bed forehead to forehead while making eye contact. Then, try to sync your breathing patterns, and see how long you and your other half can keep the rhythm. Per the relationship therapist, the goal is to get up to around 15 minutes, though many couples struggle to reach this target due to how vulnerable they feel while trying it out. If you’re unable to get it on the first few tries, don’t worry, because according to Consul, it’s not uncommon for couples to have to work their way up to the 15-minute mark.

With over 64.5K likes and nearly 16,000 bookmarks as of July 6, it looks like there are plenty of people who are willing to try the easy hack in the name of improved intimacy. Not to mention, the video’s comment section has its fair share of rave reviews, too. User @new_be_uhhh writes, “We actually do this a lot lol it’s fun matching each other’s pattern. 10 years happy.” @Tigoyan shared a similar sentiment, saying, “We have been together 19 years and still do this. I can’t really see him up close anymore but breathing together like this feels like we are one.”

Despite all the positive first-hand accounts, though, many people can’t seem to wrap their heads around the practice. “I just know we couldn’t get through this without cracking up laughing,” replied @sabrinapresti2095. “One of us would suffocate. I take one breath to three of hers,” shares @herch3. “If we get too close the eye contact gives me a headache. Is that not the case for everyone?” wonders @zilydal.

There are also plenty of reasons a person may not feel comfortable making such prolonged eye contact at such a short distance. But according to a follow-up video from Consul, there are several different ways to adapt this tip into a practice that feels “intimate and vulnerable to you,” including closing your eyes instead of staring back at your partner or making adjustments so that you’re not laying face to face. Plus, if synching your breathing is too overwhelming, Consul revealed that you can even skip that step entirely.

“What it’s really about is, can we be present and in tune with our partner, and what does that look like for us?” asks the expert. As long as you’re taking intentional strides to boost your intimacy and vulnerability, you’re doing it right.