What this does
Picture a circle that swells as you breathe in, holds steady, then sinks as you breathe out. That’s the whole idea here. You follow the shape instead of counting in your head, and your breath slows down without you having to think about it.
The labels do the work. “Inhale” while the circle grows, “Hold” while it sits still, “Exhale” as it shrinks, then a final “Hold” at the bottom. A number in the middle ticks down the seconds left in each phase, so you always know how long to keep going.
It’s paced, not timed. There’s no five-minute countdown nagging you to finish. You start, you breathe along, and the cycle counter quietly tallies how many full rounds you’ve done.
How to use it
Pick a pattern up top, or build your own. Box breathing is the default. Hit Start and follow the circle.
- Tap Box 4-4-4-4 for equal counts, 4-7-8 Relax for a longer exhale, or Coherent 5-5 for a steady in-and-out with no holds.
- Press Start. The circle begins expanding on the inhale. Match your breath to it.
- Let the cycle loop. The counter in the right panel climbs by one every time you finish a full round.
- Done? Hit Stop to pause, Reset to zero the counter, or just close the tab.
Want a nudge between phases? Flip Sound on. A soft tone plays at each switch so you can close your eyes and stop watching the screen. It’s off by default because not everyone wants the noise.
Building a custom rhythm
The four boxes on the right are inhale, hold, exhale, hold, in seconds. Type whatever you want, from 0 to 20. Set a phase to 0 and the pacer skips it entirely, which is exactly how the 4-7-8 preset drops that last hold.
Some starting points if you’re not sure:
- 5-0-5-0 for a slow, even breath at roughly six per minute. This is the “coherent” range a lot of HRV studies point to.
- 4-4-4-4 when you need to settle fast before something stressful. A presentation, a hard conversation, a flight.
- 4-7-8 at bedtime. The long exhale leans on the part of your nervous system that tells your body to stand down.
There’s no perfect number. The right pattern is the one where the breath feels unhurried. If you’re gasping at the top of the inhale, the count’s too long. Shorten it.
Why slowing your breath helps
Your breathing rate and your nervous system are wired together. Drag the exhale out longer than the inhale and you tip the balance toward the parasympathetic side, the “rest” branch. Heart rate eases off. Shoulders drop. It’s not woo, it’s the vagus nerve doing its job.
Box breathing got popular because the military teaches it. Same four-count on every side, easy to remember when your brain is fried. Honestly, a couple of minutes is usually enough to feel the shift. Three or four slow cycles before bed, or right before you walk into something tense, does more than people expect.
Questions people ask
Should I breathe through my nose or mouth? For most patterns, in through the nose and out through the mouth feels natural, especially on 4-7-8 where the long exhale is the point. Nose-only is fine too. Do what’s comfortable.
Does the cycle counter save between visits? Nope. Refresh the page and it starts at zero. Everything runs locally and nothing’s stored, so there’s no history to dig up later.
Why is the sound off by default? Plenty of people use this in a quiet room or with earbuds in. The tone helps when your eyes are closed, but it’s annoying if you don’t want it, so you opt in.
Can I make the holds longer than the breaths? Sure. The boxes go up to 20 seconds each. Long holds are an advanced move though, so build up to them rather than jumping straight to a 16-second hold.
Is 4-7-8 actually better for sleep? The extended exhale does push you toward the calming branch of your nervous system, which can help you wind down. It’s not a sleeping pill, but as a pre-bed ritual it works for a lot of people.
What if I get lightheaded? Stop and breathe normally. That usually means the counts are too long or too forceful for you right now. Dial them back and keep the breath gentle.