Breathing exercises
Every rhythm counted for you on screen, from 4-7-8 to box breathing to the physiological sigh. 564 practices, all free, nothing to install.
Slow box breathing exercise for deep focus — when the day has been loud
5 · 5 · 5 · 5 breathing: a wider square, once four feels comfortable.
Follow along →4-6 breathing exercise for a hard week — when you feel fine and want to stay that way
4 · 6 breathing: in for four, out for six.
Follow along →4-2-6 breathing exercise for days when everything is too much — if you have five quiet minutes
4 · 2 · 6 breathing: a short hold in the middle, a long way out.
Follow along →How to use Coherent 6-6 breathing for a long wait, when you have tried everything else
6 · 6 breathing: six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.
Follow along →How to use Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing for creative work, when you have just finished work
2 · 1 · 2 · 1 breathing: a brisk rhythm for when you need to be awake.
Follow along →How to use Uneven box breathing for Friday evening, before you go back to something hard
A 4 · 4 · 6 · 2 rhythm — a square with one long side.
Follow along →4-8 breath (4 · 8) for physical discomfort, when you want to be left alone
A 4 · 8 rhythm — in for four, out for eight.
Follow along →5-2-7 breath (5 · 2 · 7) for exam nerves, if you are new to this
A 5 · 2 · 7 rhythm — five, a brief hold, then seven out.
Follow along →Coherent 4-4 breathing — 4 · 4 — for the morning, when your attention is scattered
A 4 · 4 rhythm — four and four, if five feels like a stretch.
Follow along →Box breathing — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — for coming down after exercise, when you have been meaning to start
A 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 rhythm — four equal sides, like tracing a square.
Follow along →How to use Coherent 5-5 breathing for the commute, when the weather has kept you inside
Rounds of 5 · 5, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →How to use 6-2-6-2 breathing for after exercise, when you are short on time
Rounds of 6 · 2 · 6 · 2, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →How to use Slow box breathing for caring for someone, on a day that started badly
Rounds of 5 · 5 · 5 · 5, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →4-6 breath (4 · 6) for the middle of the night, when you are at home and cannot settle
Rounds of 4 · 6, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →4-2-6 breath (4 · 2 · 6) for travel days, after eating too much
Rounds of 4 · 2 · 6, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →Coherent 6-6 breath (6 · 6) for jet lag, if you are tired of apps
Simple counts — 6 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing — 2 · 1 · 2 · 1 — for heated moments, if you have done this a hundred times
Simple counts — 2 · 1 · 2 · 1 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →Uneven box breathing — 4 · 4 · 6 · 2 — for a hard week, when you have already had a long week
Simple counts — 4 · 4 · 6 · 2 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →4-8 breathing — 4 · 8 — for overwhelm, on a low-energy afternoon
Simple counts — 4 · 8 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →5-2-7 breathing for a long wait, if you are doing this in the middle of the day
Simple counts — 5 · 2 · 7 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →Coherent 4-4 breathing for creative work, when you need to stop thinking about work
A four and four, if five feels like a stretch pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →Box breathing for Friday evening, if you are doing this instead of scrolling
A four equal sides, like tracing a square pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →Tight box breathing: 10 rounds for physical discomfort, when you need something unremarkable
A barely any hold, for people who dislike holding pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →3-6 breathing: 10 rounds for exam nerves, after a difficult conversation
A a gentle two-to-one ratio pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →3-5-7 breathing exercise for the morning — when you are somewhere noisy
A a staircase down: three, five, seven pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →Physiological sigh breathing exercise for a study session — after a long day
The pattern is 2 · 6, which is a second short sip of air on top of the first, then a long release.
Follow along →Gentle box breathing exercise for a long illness — when you are waiting for something
The pattern is 3 · 3 · 3 · 3, which is a smaller square, for when four counts feels long.
Follow along →How to use 4-7-8 breathing for bedtime, when you are too tired to try hard
The pattern is 4 · 7 · 8, which is in for four, hold for seven, out for eight.
Follow along →How to use 5-7 breathing for a hospital waiting room, when you are not sure this will work
The pattern is 5 · 7, which is five in, seven out.
Follow along →How to use 2-1-4 breathing for the morning after, when you are not in the mood
The pattern is 2 · 1 · 4, which is short in, short hold, long out — the smallest useful dose.
Follow along →Double-inhale sigh breath (3 · 8) for anxious moments, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
3 · 8 breathing: two inhales stacked together, then everything out through the mouth.
Follow along →Beginner box breath (2 · 2 · 2 · 2) for a reset, when you feel restless rather than tired
2 · 2 · 2 · 2 breathing: the easiest version of the square.
Follow along →Soft 4-7-8 breath (4 · 4 · 8) for a cold morning, when nothing else has worked today
4 · 4 · 8 breathing: the hold cut short, the long exhale kept.
Follow along →7-11 breathing — 7 · 11 — for the end of the working day, when you are on your own
7 · 11 breathing: a long, slow ratio for when you have time.
Follow along →Coherent 5-5 breathing — 5 · 5 — for the hours after people leave, if you are fitting this around other people
5 · 5 breathing: five seconds in, five seconds out — about six breaths a minute.
Follow along →6-2-6-2 breathing — 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 — for a lonely evening, when you have more time than usual
A 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 rhythm — even and rhythmic, with brief holds on both sides.
Follow along →Slow box breathing for heavy days, when you cannot concentrate on anything else
A 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 rhythm — a wider square, once four feels comfortable.
Follow along →4-6 breathing for a noisy room, when you have been on screens all day
A 4 · 6 rhythm — in for four, out for six.
Follow along →4-2-6 breathing for being unwell, when you have woken up too early
A 4 · 2 · 6 rhythm — a short hold in the middle, a long way out.
Follow along →Coherent 6-6 breathing: 6 rounds for a ten-minute window, when the day has been loud
A 6 · 6 rhythm — six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.
Follow along →Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing: 6 rounds for the early months, when you feel fine and want to stay that way
Rounds of 2 · 1 · 2 · 1, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →Uneven box breathing exercise for a work break — if you have five quiet minutes
Rounds of 4 · 4 · 6 · 2, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →4-8 breathing exercise for Sunday evening — when you have tried everything else
Rounds of 4 · 8, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →5-2-7 breathing exercise for caring for someone — when you have just finished work
Rounds of 5 · 2 · 7, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →How to use Coherent 4-4 breathing for the middle of the night, before you go back to something hard
Rounds of 4 · 4, with the counting done for you.
Follow along →How to use Box breathing for a grey day, when you want to be left alone
Simple counts — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →How to use Tight box breathing for a hot day, if you are new to this
Simple counts — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →3-6 breath (3 · 6) for deep focus, when your attention is scattered
Simple counts — 3 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for a hard week, when you have been meaning to start
Simple counts — 3 · 5 · 7 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →Physiological sigh breath (2 · 6) for overwhelm, before something difficult
Simple counts — 2 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow along →Gentle box breathing — 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 — for a hard conversation, when the house is busy
A a smaller square, for when four counts feels long pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →4-7-8 breathing — 4 · 7 · 8 — for a big decision, when the weather has kept you inside
A in for four, hold for seven, out for eight pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →5-7 breathing — 5 · 7 — for Friday evening, when you are short on time
A five in, seven out pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →2-1-4 breathing for physical discomfort, when you have been putting it off
A short in, short hold, long out — the smallest useful dose pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →Double-inhale sigh breathing for exam nerves, if you are sceptical about all of this
A two inhales stacked together, then everything out through the mouth pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow along →Beginner box breathing: 5 rounds for the commute, when you are cold and want to be warm
The pattern is 2 · 2 · 2 · 2, which is the easiest version of the square.
Follow along →Soft 4-7-8 breathing: 5 rounds for after exercise, when you only have a few minutes
The pattern is 4 · 4 · 8, which is the hold cut short, the long exhale kept.
Follow along →7-11 breathing: 5 rounds for a long illness, when you want something simple
The pattern is 7 · 11, which is a long, slow ratio for when you have time.
Follow along →Coherent 5-5 breathing exercise for bedtime — when you want to finish something
The pattern is 5 · 5, which is five seconds in, five seconds out — about six breaths a minute.
Follow along →6-2-6-2 breathing exercise for a hospital waiting room — when you are doing this for the first time
The pattern is 6 · 2 · 6 · 2, which is even and rhythmic, with brief holds on both sides.
Follow along →If you feel dizzy at any point, stop and breathe normally. Gentle always wins.