Breathing patterns you can follow without counting
Box breathing is four seconds in, four held, four out, four held empty. It is used by people who need to steady themselves quickly, and it works partly because counting occupies the part of your attention that would otherwise be busy.
Following a shape is easier than counting, which is the whole reason for a pacer. The circle uses a smoothstep rather than a linear ramp, because a breath slows as it approaches the top and the bottom — a linearly growing circle feels subtly wrong to follow in a way people notice without being able to say why.
- Box breathing — four, four, four, four
- 4-7-8 — in for four, hold seven, out for eight, no hold
- Coherent breathing — in for five, out for five, no holds
- Any pattern you have been given by someone who knows your situation
Setting up 4-7-8 or any other pattern
All four phases are set independently, and holds can be zero. For 4-7-8, set four in, seven hold, eight out and zero hold empty. For coherent breathing, five and five with both holds at zero.
Your pattern goes into the address bar, so whichever one you have been shown is a bookmark rather than four sliders to set each time.
Using the breathing timer
Press F for fullscreen so the circle is the only thing on the display, and follow it. The number in the middle counts down the current phase.
If you feel light-headed, stop. Extended or forceful breathing exercises are not for everyone and are not something a web page can supervise — if a pattern was recommended to you by a professional, follow theirs rather than ours.