🫁Breathing Exercise

About this tool

Choose a pattern and a session length, then press Start. The circle grows as you breathe in, pauses while you hold, and shrinks as you breathe out. A countdown shows each phase and soft tones mark every change, so you can close your eyes. You can set your own timings, and with reduced motion turned on the circle fades instead of growing.

Which breathing pattern to choose

Slow, paced breathing is one of the simplest ways to take the edge off stress. A typical resting rate is 12 to 20 breaths a minute, and these patterns bring it down to between 3 and 6. Box breathing (in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4) is easy to remember and is taught to athletes, pilots and military personnel for staying calm under pressure. It works out at about 3.8 breaths a minute. 4-7-8 (in 4, hold 7, out 8), popularised for winding down before sleep, slows things further, to about 3.2 breaths a minute. Resonant or coherent breathing at around 5.5 breaths a minute (5.5 seconds in, 5.5 seconds out, no holds) is the pace most often studied for heart-rate variability. Longer-exhale breathing (in 4, out 6) is gentle and good for beginners. A few minutes is enough to notice a difference, and sessions always finish at the end of a full breath. Breathe through your nose if you can, let your belly rise rather than your shoulders, and never force a hold. Honest limits: breathing exercises can ease stress and help you settle, but they aren't a treatment for anxiety disorders, asthma or other conditions. Stop if you feel dizzy or tingly, and avoid long breath-holds if you're pregnant or have heart or lung problems unless your doctor agrees. The meditation timer, the Pomodoro timer and the sleep calculator are related.

Frequently asked questions