One minute to return to your pace
Choose a rhythm studied in research or build your own. No goals, scores, or pressure to finish.
Breathe in
6
Breathe in and out for about 5.5 seconds, close to six breaths per minute.
Studied in heart rate variability research (Lehrer and Gevirtz, 2014).
Completed cycles: 0
How to practice
Get comfortable
Sit in a way that feels comfortable and let your shoulders soften. You can stop at any time.
Follow the circle
It grows as you breathe in and shrinks as you breathe out. Do not force your breath.
Return when useful
Use it before a task, between pauses, or whenever you want to slow down for a moment
Where these rhythms come from
Resonant breathing 5,5–5,5
Breathe in and out for about 5.5 seconds, close to six breaths per minute.
Studied in heart rate variability research (Lehrer and Gevirtz, 2014).
Extended exhale 4–6
Breathe in for 4 seconds and let the air out slowly for 6.
Slow rhythms with a longer exhale appear in a systematic review on slow breathing (Zaccaro et al., 2018).
Box breathing 4–4–4–4
Breathe in, hold, breathe out and pause, 4 seconds each.
One of the protocols compared in the controlled study by Balban et al. (2023).
4-7-8 breathing 4–7–8
Breathe in for 4, hold for 7 and breathe out for 8 seconds. Start with a few cycles.
Popularized by Andrew Weil. There are still few controlled studies on it.
Cyclic sighing
Breathe in through the nose, top up with a second short inhale and slowly breathe out through the mouth.
Had the largest effect on mood in the controlled study by Balban et al. (2023), with five minutes a day.
Breathe without forcing. If you feel dizzy or uncomfortable, stop and return to your natural breath.
This is a visual tool for an everyday pause. It does not provide health services, individual guidance or urgent response.