Free tool
Guided breathing exercises
Follow the orb. It swells as you breathe in and settles as you breathe out, so you can stop counting. Box breathing, 4-7-8, coherent and calming, free and in your browser.
Pattern
Inhale 4 · Hold 4 · Exhale 4 · Hold 4
Length
Get ready
An optional countdown to settle before you begin.
How to use it
Choose a pattern and a length, then press begin. The orb grows through your inhale, holds where it is while you hold, and shrinks through your exhale. A soft breath sound rises and falls with it, so once you have the rhythm you can close your eyes and simply listen. Tap the orb to pause.
The four patterns
Box breathing, 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
In for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four. Even, square, unhurried. This is the one to use before something that frightens you a little: a lift, an interview, a heavy set. It settles the body without making it sleepy. We wrote more about it in the journal.
4-7-8, the relaxing breath
In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. The exhale is twice the inhale, which is what does the work. Use it at night, or when you need to come down from something quickly. Four rounds is usually enough to feel it. There is a longer piece on 4-7-8 in the journal.
Coherent, 5 · 5
Five seconds in, five seconds out, roughly six breaths a minute. No holds, nothing to brace against. This is the pattern to sit with for ten or twenty minutes, and the one that feels least like an exercise.
Calming, 4 · 6
In for four, out for six. A gentler version of the same idea: a longer exhale than inhale, without the hold. Good if 4-7-8 feels like too much air to hold on to.
Before you breathe
Paced breathing can cause light-headedness or, rarely, fainting. Practise seated or lying down, somewhere safe. Never while driving, and never in or near water. If you feel faint, return to normal breathing.
Oath is not a medical app. This practice is voluntary and at your own risk. If you are unsure whether it is safe for you, do not do it and speak to a professional. Read the health and safety guidance in full.
Breathing, silence and cold
If you would rather sit in silence than be paced, use the meditation timer. If you are training yourself to stay calm in the cold, the cold plunge timer is the same engine with rain falling through it.
Common questions
What is box breathing?
Inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four. The four equal sides give it its name. It is used by soldiers, divers and athletes to steady the nerves before something difficult, because the even rhythm and the pause on empty lungs slow the heart without making you drowsy.
What is 4-7-8 breathing?
Inhale for four seconds, hold for seven, exhale slowly for eight. The long exhale is the active ingredient: breathing out for longer than you breathe in nudges the body towards rest. It is the pattern most people reach for at night, or when they need to come down quickly.
Which breathing pattern should I use?
Box breathing to steady yourself before something demanding. 4-7-8 or Calming to come down and sleep. Coherent, an even five in and five out, is the one to sit with for longer stretches, and is the closest thing to a neutral daily practice.
How long should I practise for?
Five minutes is plenty, and even one minute helps in the moment. Paced breathing is not something you need to do for an hour. Do it briefly, do it often, and do it before you need it as well as during.
What is the sound during the breathing?
A soft synthesised breath that swells as the orb grows and settles as it shrinks, so you can follow the rhythm with your eyes closed. A singing bowl marks the start and the finish. You can turn all of it off.
Is paced breathing safe?
For most people, yes, but it can cause light-headedness and, rarely, fainting. Practise seated or lying down, never while driving and never in or near water. If you feel faint, return to normal breathing. Read our health and safety guidance before you begin.