Breathing Trainer

Guided Breathing Exercises and Breathing Techniques

Breathing Trainer is a free visual breathing exercise tool for following slow and controlled breathing patterns. The visual provides a clear pace for breathing in, holding, and breathing out, so you can follow the rhythm without counting every second yourself. No account, sign-up, or user login is required.

Slow and controlled breathing is commonly used in relaxation, meditation, mindfulness, and other breathing practices. Research has examined the effects of slow breathing on the respiratory, cardiovascular, cardiorespiratory, and autonomic nervous systems. A review of research on slow breathing in healthy people discusses changes in areas including heart rate variability, breathing efficiency, and cardiorespiratory activity. You can read the review of the physiological effects of slow breathing for more detail.

This trainer is designed to make structured breathing exercises easier to follow. Choose a preset technique, set a session length, and follow the expanding and contracting visual. You can also change each breathing phase individually if you prefer a different pace.

Box Breathing: 4-4-4-4

Box breathing divides a breathing cycle into four equal phases. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, and hold again for 4 seconds before repeating the cycle. The four equal phases give the technique its box or four-square structure.

Four seconds is a common starting point rather than a required timing. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs describes the same 4-4-4-4 pattern and notes that the length of each step can be adjusted when needed. See the Veterans Affairs guide to box breathing for an example of the technique.

4-7-8 Breathing

The 4-7-8 technique uses three phases: breathe in for 4 counts, hold the breath for 7 counts, and breathe out for 8 counts. The method was popularized by Andrew Weil and has roots in the yogic breathing practice of pranayama. The longer exhale creates a deliberately slow breathing cycle.

Cleveland Clinic describes 4-7-8 breathing as an intentional breathing practice commonly used for relaxation and settling the mind. Their guide also explains the inhale, hold, and exhale sequence in detail. Read more in the Cleveland Clinic guide to 4-7-8 breathing.

Equal Breathing: 5-5

Equal breathing uses the same amount of time for breathing in and breathing out. The preset in this trainer uses a 5-second inhale followed by a 5-second exhale, with no breath hold. This creates approximately six complete breathing cycles per minute.

Slow-breathing research commonly studies breathing rates below the usual resting range, including rates around six breaths per minute. The exact pace that feels comfortable can vary between people, so the 5-5 preset should be treated as a simple starting pattern rather than a required or ideal breathing rate.

Create Your Own Breathing Pattern

Breathing techniques do not all use the same timing. Custom mode lets you set separate durations for breathing in, holding after the inhale, breathing out, and holding after the exhale. Either hold phase can be set to zero, allowing you to create breathing patterns with or without breath retention.

You can choose a fixed session length or use the unlimited option when you do not want the exercise to end automatically. During the session, the visual expands as you breathe in, remains still during a hold, and contracts as you breathe out. The session can be paused, resumed, or reset at any time.

Using Breathing Exercises Comfortably

Breathing exercises should feel comfortable and should not be forced. Different breathing patterns may suit different people, and there is no need to continue with a timing that feels uncomfortable. If an exercise causes dizziness, unusual shortness of breath, or discomfort, stop the exercise and return to your normal breathing.

Breathing Trainer provides visual timing and pacing only. It is not a medical treatment or a substitute for advice from a qualified healthcare professional.