Start from one that already works for you
Don't start from scratch. Pick a breathing you've practiced several times and ask what you'd change. Maybe the inhale runs long. Maybe you want a rest before you take air in again.
Change one thing at a time. If you move all four counts at once, you won't know which one made the difference. Good starting points are 4-6 breathing, Equal breathing (sama vritti), which goes in for 4 and out for 4, and Box breathing 4-4-4-4 if you like pauses.
The four counts
The editor has four sliders: inhale, hold, exhale and pause on empty. As you move them, the breathing's curve redraws. It climbs when you breathe in, stays up while you hold, comes down when you breathe out and rests at the bottom during the pause.
Looking at the curve helps you decide. A very steep climb is a rushed inhale. A long plateau at the top is a hold you may not need. If the shape looks calm, it'll probably feel calm.
How long the cycle lasts
Add up the four counts and you have the seconds in one cycle. Divide 60 by that number and you know how many breaths you take per minute. A 10-second cycle is six a minute. An 8-second cycle is seven and a half.
Six a minute is the most studied pace. A 2017 review by Russo, Santarelli and O'Rourke notes that the swing in your pulse as you breathe peaks near that rate, and that the exact point varies from person to person. It's a reference, not a target. If a 10-second cycle leaves you wanting air, a 7- or 8-second cycle is your starting point.
The same review points out that when you take fewer breaths, each one gets a little bigger. Keep it to a little: slow isn't huge.
The exhale: longer or equal
Many calming patterns stretch the exhale. There's evidence for that, but it isn't solid. In 2014, Van Diest and colleagues had 30 people breathe at different ratios. With the exhale longer than the inhale, they reported feeling more relaxed.
In 2024, Meehan and Shaffer compared a double-length exhale with equal timing, at six breaths a minute, in two groups of 26 and 16 people. They found no difference in heart rate variability. The nine studies they reviewed reached different conclusions.
Until the science settles, let your body decide. Try 4 and 6 for a week and 5 and 5 the next, and write down how you feel after each.
Pauses and holds, with care
A short pause changes the character of a breathing. It's also the first thing to get uncomfortable if you overdo it. Start with 1 or 2 seconds and lengthen only if you're still breathing without urgency on the next cycle.
Long holds aren't for beginners. If you explore them, do it sitting or lying down, never in water or while driving. If you have a heart, lung or blood pressure condition, epilepsy, a history of panic attacks or fainting, or you're pregnant, check with your care provider first.
Advanced mode
When four counts aren't enough, advanced mode adds more pieces:
- Parts. A breathing can have several stretches, for example a few even cycles followed by slower ones.
- Repeats. Each part repeats as many times as you choose.
- Fixed rounds. The whole breathing runs for an exact number of rounds.
- Gradual change. One count grows or shrinks every few cycles. That's how Lengthening breath works: its exhale goes from 6 to 10 seconds little by little.
- The route. Each count can go through the nose, the mouth, the left or right nostril, pursed lips or a hum.
Test it, adjust it and share it
Save it and practice it for three or four minutes. The signs that a pattern fits are simple: you don't reach the end of the exhale hungry for air, your shoulders stay still and you don't get dizzy. If any of that fails, shorten it. You can also adjust the pace in the player, from 50% to 200%, before you touch the pattern.
Give it a few days before you judge it. If you mark how you arrive and how you feel afterward, "My practice" will show you over time which breathings change how you feel most.
Once you like it, you can share it by link or QR code. The breathing travels inside the link itself, never through a server.
Frequently asked questions
How many seconds should I breathe in and out?
There's no single number. A good start is 4 seconds in and 4 to 6 seconds out, adjusting from there. Comfort makes the call: if you finish the exhale urgently needing air, the cycle is too long for you.
Should the exhale be longer than the inhale?
A small 2014 study found more relaxation with a longer exhale. A 2024 study saw no difference in heart rate variability between a double-length exhale and equal timing. The evidence is inconclusive, so try both and keep the one that feels more comfortable.
Can I make up my own breathing exercise?
Yes. Most well-known patterns are combinations of the same four counts. Start from one you already know, change one thing at a time and keep the pauses short. If you have a health condition, check with your care provider first.
How many breaths per minute is best for relaxation?
Studies of slow breathing center on about six a minute, but the point varies between people. Any pace slower than your usual one that you can keep up without effort is a reasonable start.
How do I share a breathing pattern I made?
From "My breathings" you can create a link or a QR code. Whoever opens it gets the full pattern, because it's inside the link. It doesn't go through any server and doesn't need an account.
Sources
- Russo, Santarelli and O'Rourke 2017, The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human, Breathe
- Van Diest et al. 2014, Inhalation/Exhalation Ratio Modulates the Effect of Slow Breathing on Heart Rate Variability and Relaxation, Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (abstract)
- Meehan and Shaffer 2024, Do Longer Exhalations Increase HRV During Slow-Paced Breathing?, Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback