Breathing exercises
Every rhythm counted for you on screen, from 4-7-8 to box breathing to the physiological sigh. 354 practices, all free, nothing to install.
7-11 breathing — 7 · 11 — for a hard week, when you need something unremarkable
Simple counts — 7 · 11 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →Box breathing exercise for a cold morning — when you are somewhere noisy
Simple counts — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →Coherent 5-5 breathing — 5 · 5 — for days when everything is too much, after a difficult conversation
Simple counts — 5 · 5 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →How to use Tight box breathing for the end of the working day, after a long day
Simple counts — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →6-2-6-2 breathing for a long wait, when you have been meaning to start
Simple counts — 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →How to use 3-6 breathing for the hours after people leave, when you are waiting for something
Simple counts — 3 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →Slow box breathing for a big decision, before something difficult
Simple counts — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →How to use 3-5-7 breathing for a lonely evening, when you are too tired to try hard
Simple counts — 3 · 5 · 7 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →4-6 breathing for Friday evening, when the house is busy
Simple counts — 4 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →Physiological sigh (2 · 6) for a hard conversation, when you are not sure this will work
Simple counts — 2 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →4-2-6 breathing: 4 rounds for physical discomfort, when the weather has kept you inside
A a short hold in the middle, a long way out pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →Coherent 6-6 breathing: 4 rounds for exam nerves, when you are short on time
A six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing exercise for the morning — on a day that started badly
A a brisk rhythm for when you need to be awake pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →Uneven box breathing exercise for coming down after exercise — when you are at home and cannot settle
A a square with one long side pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →4-8 breathing exercise for a long illness — after eating too much
A in for four, out for eight pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →How to use 5-2-7 breathing for bedtime, if you are tired of apps
The pattern is 5 · 2 · 7, which is five, a brief hold, then seven out.
Follow along →How to use Coherent 4-4 breathing for a hospital waiting room, if you have done this a hundred times
The pattern is 4 · 4, which is four and four, if five feels like a stretch.
Follow along →How to use Box breathing for jet lag, when you have already had a long week
The pattern is 4 · 4 · 4 · 4, which is four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Follow along →Tight box breath (4 · 1 · 4 · 1) for heated moments, on a low-energy afternoon
The pattern is 4 · 1 · 4 · 1, which is barely any hold, for people who dislike holding.
Follow along →3-6 breath (3 · 6) for a reset, when you cannot concentrate on anything else
The pattern is 3 · 6, which is a gentle two-to-one ratio.
Follow along →3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for a cold morning, when you have been on screens all day
3 · 5 · 7 breathing: a staircase down: three, five, seven.
Follow along →Physiological sigh — 2 · 6 — for the end of the working day, when you have woken up too early
2 · 6 breathing: a second short sip of air on top of the first, then a long release.
Follow along →Gentle box breathing — 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 — for creative work, when the day has been loud
3 · 3 · 3 · 3 breathing: a smaller square, for when four counts feels long.
Follow along →4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 7 · 8 — for Monday morning, when you feel fine and want to stay that way
4 · 7 · 8 breathing: in for four, hold for seven, out for eight.
Follow along →5-7 breathing for heavy days, when you are somewhere noisy
5 · 7 breathing: five in, seven out.
Follow along →2-1-4 breathing for a noisy room, after a long day
A 2 · 1 · 4 rhythm — short in, short hold, long out — the smallest useful dose.
Follow along →Double-inhale sigh for being unwell, when you are waiting for something
A 3 · 8 rhythm — two inhales stacked together, then everything out through the mouth.
Follow along →Beginner box breathing: 10 rounds for a study session, when you are too tired to try hard
A 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 rhythm — the easiest version of the square.
Follow along →Soft 4-7-8 breathing: 10 rounds for a night shift, when you are not sure this will work
A 4 · 4 · 8 rhythm — the hold cut short, the long exhale kept.
Follow along →7-11 breathing exercise for a break at work — when you are not in the mood
A 7 · 11 rhythm — a long, slow ratio for when you have time.
Follow along →Tight box breathing — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — for a long illness, before something difficult
Rounds of 4 · 1 · 4 · 1, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →3-6 breathing for bedtime, when you are on your own
Rounds of 3 · 6, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →3-5-7 breathing for a hospital waiting room, if you are fitting this around other people
Rounds of 3 · 5 · 7, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →Physiological sigh for the morning after, when you have more time than usual
Rounds of 2 · 6, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →Gentle box breathing: 10 rounds for heated moments, when you have been putting it off
Rounds of 3 · 3 · 3 · 3, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →4-7-8 breathing: 10 rounds for a reset, if you are sceptical about all of this
Simple counts — 4 · 7 · 8 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →5-7 breathing: 10 rounds for a cold morning, when you are cold and want to be warm
Simple counts — 5 · 7 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →2-1-4 breathing exercise for the end of the working day — when you only have a few minutes
Simple counts — 2 · 1 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →Double-inhale sigh exercise for the hours after people leave — when you want something simple
Simple counts — 3 · 8 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →Beginner box breathing exercise for Monday morning — when you want to finish something
Simple counts — 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →How to use Soft 4-7-8 breathing for heavy days, when you are doing this for the first time
A the hold cut short, the long exhale kept pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →How to use 7-11 breathing for a noisy room, if you are doing this in the middle of the day
A a long, slow ratio for when you have time pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →How to use Coherent 5-5 breathing for being unwell, when you need to stop thinking about work
A five seconds in, five seconds out — about six breaths a minute pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →6-2-6-2 breath (6 · 2 · 6 · 2) for a ten-minute window, if you are doing this instead of scrolling
A even and rhythmic, with brief holds on both sides pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →Slow box breath (5 · 5 · 5 · 5) for a night shift, when you need something unremarkable
A a wider square, once four feels comfortable pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →4-6 breathing — 4 · 6 — for a break at work, after a difficult conversation
The pattern is 4 · 6, which is in for four, out for six.
Follow along →4-2-6 breathing — 4 · 2 · 6 — for Sunday evening, when you are somewhere noisy
The pattern is 4 · 2 · 6, which is a short hold in the middle, a long way out.
Follow along →Coherent 6-6 breathing — 6 · 6 — for a stolen moment of caregiving, after a long day
The pattern is 6 · 6, which is six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.
Follow along →Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing for the middle of the night, when the house is busy
The pattern is 2 · 1 · 2 · 1, which is a brisk rhythm for when you need to be awake.
Follow along →Uneven box breathing for a grey day, when the weather has kept you inside
The pattern is 4 · 4 · 6 · 2, which is a square with one long side.
Follow along →4-8 breathing for a hot day, when you are short on time
4 · 8 breathing: in for four, out for eight.
Follow along →5-2-7 breathing: 6 rounds for deep focus, on a day that started badly
5 · 2 · 7 breathing: five, a brief hold, then seven out.
Follow along →Coherent 4-4 breathing: 6 rounds for a hard week, when you are at home and cannot settle
4 · 4 breathing: four and four, if five feels like a stretch.
Follow along →Box breathing: 6 rounds for a lonely evening, after eating too much
4 · 4 · 4 · 4 breathing: four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Follow along →Tight box breathing exercise for a hard conversation — if you are tired of apps
4 · 1 · 4 · 1 breathing: barely any hold, for people who dislike holding.
Follow along →3-6 breathing exercise for a big decision — if you have done this a hundred times
A 3 · 6 rhythm — a gentle two-to-one ratio.
Follow along →3-5-7 breathing exercise for Friday evening — when you have already had a long week
A 3 · 5 · 7 rhythm — a staircase down: three, five, seven.
Follow along →How to use Physiological sigh for physical discomfort, on a low-energy afternoon
A 2 · 6 rhythm — a second short sip of air on top of the first, then a long release.
Follow along →How to use Gentle box breathing for the early months, when you cannot concentrate on anything else
A 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 rhythm — a smaller square, for when four counts feels long.
Follow along →4-7-8 breath (4 · 7 · 8) for the commute, when you have been on screens all day
A 4 · 7 · 8 rhythm — in for four, hold for seven, out for eight.
Follow along →If you feel dizzy at any point, stop and breathe normally. Gentle always wins.