💫 Breathing Exercise Timer
Guided breathing with animated timer. Choose a technique, set your session, and breathe.
Box Breathing
Used by Navy SEALs and first responders to regulate the nervous system under extreme stress. Balances the autonomic nervous system by equalising all four breath phases, reducing cortisol and promoting calm alertness.
About Breathing Techniques
Controlled breathing (pranayama in yoga tradition, or cyclic breathing in neuroscience) directly influences the autonomic nervous system. Slow, rhythmic breathing activates the parasympathetic "rest and digest" response, lowering heart rate and blood pressure.
The physiological sigh — a double inhale followed by a long exhale — is the fastest known way to offload CO₂ and calm the nervous system. Researchers at Stanford found even a single sigh can measurably reduce anxiety within seconds.
Resonance breathing (around 5–6 breaths per minute) maximises heart rate variability (HRV), a key marker of cardiovascular and nervous system health.