Free tool
Breathwork studio
The breathwork studio paces seven breathwork exercises: box breathing, 4-7-8, coherent breathing at 5.5 breaths a minute, two extended-exhale patterns, a guided alternate nostril visual and ujjayi pacing. Pick a pattern and a session length from 1 to 20 minutes, press start and follow the circle, with optional voice cues and a soft chime.
Breathwork Studio
The out-breath is longer than the in-breath. A gentle place to start. 6 breaths a minute.
Ready when you are
How do you use the breathwork studio?
- Pick a pattern. Seven are built in. The card under the list says how each one works and how many breaths a minute it gives.
- Set the session length. Slide from 1 to 20 minutes. The tool rounds to whole breaths, so the timer shows the exact length.
- Choose your cues. Voice cues and the soft chime are both off by default. Voice uses your browser’s own speech, and the chime is a short tone made in the browser, so nothing is downloaded.
- Press start and follow the circle. It grows as you breathe in, stays full or empty on a hold and shrinks as you breathe out. The countdown shows the seconds left in each phase.
Pause at any time and resume where you left off. Your pattern, length and settings are remembered in this browser for next time.
If your device is set to reduce motion, the circle is replaced by a large number counting down each phase, with the same text for each phase.
The patterns
- Box breathing (4-4-4-4). In, hold, out, hold, all for four. Even and easy to remember.
- 4-7-8 breathing. In for 4, hold for 7, out for 8. Turn on “Skip the holds” to make it 4 in, 8 out.
- Coherent breathing. About 5.5 seconds in and 5.5 seconds out, no holds.
- Extended exhale (4 in, 6 out) and long exhale (4 in, 8 out). The out-breath is longer than the in-breath.
- Alternate nostril (nadi shodhana). A nose diagram shows which nostril is open: in through the left, out through the right, in through the right, out through the left. Use the thumb and ring finger of your right hand to close each side in turn. You can set the count from 3 to 8 seconds.
- Ujjayi pacing. Slow, even breaths through the nose with a soft, ocean-like sound in the throat. Choose a count from 3 to 8 seconds per breath.
The guide to pranayama explains where these practices come from, and breathing exercises for stress has step-by-step instructions you can read before you begin.
How is it different from the box breathing timer?
The box breathing timer is the quick version: three patterns, one button. The breathwork studio adds coherent breathing, alternate nostril and ujjayi, a set session length with a round count, voice and chime, a switch to skip the holds and a reduced-motion view. Use whichever suits the moment.
Breathing safely
Breathe gently, never to strain. Skip holds and breathe normally if you are pregnant, have a heart or blood pressure condition, or feel dizzy or light-headed. Every pattern with holds has a switch to remove them. Stop and return to your normal breath if you feel short of air, tingling or uneasy. If breathing practice makes you anxious, a shorter session with an easy out-breath is a better starting point than a longer one.
After the session
To practise with a plan rather than one pattern at a time, the breathwork programs and 7 or 21 day courses use these same patterns in short goal-based sessions, with optional vibration cues on Android phones and a gentle breath-hold log.
Many people like to sit for a few minutes after breathwork. The silent meditation timer gives you a quiet countdown with an interval bell, and how to meditate covers posture and attention for a first sit.
What this tool draws on
The techniques, counts and safety notes in the studio come from these pages.
It is one of 28 free yoga tools on the site, and none of them needs a sign-up.
The patterns at a glance
The counts the pacer uses, so you can also follow them with a clock or by counting silently. Alternate nostril and ujjayi are shown at their default count; the tool lets you change it.
| Pattern | Counts (seconds) | One round | Breaths a minute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box breathing | 4 in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold | 16 s | 3.8 |
| 4-7-8 breathing | 4 in, 7 hold, 8 out | 19 s | 3.2 |
| Coherent breathing | 5.5 in, 5.5 out | 10.9 s | 5.5 |
| Extended exhale | 4 in, 6 out | 10 s | 6 |
| Long exhale | 4 in, 8 out | 12 s | 5 |
| Alternate nostril | 4 in (left), 4 out (right), 4 in (right), 4 out (left) | 16 s | 3.8 |
| Ujjayi pacing | 5 in, 5 out | 10 s | 6 |
Learn more: pranayama, the breathing practices of yoga, what prana means and breathing exercises for stress. To sit quietly afterwards, use the meditation timer; for the simple three-pattern version, the box breathing timer.
Sources: Mayo Clinic, Fitness program: 5 steps to get started; NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health), Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety; NHS, Exercise in pregnancy; CDC, Pregnant & Postpartum Activity: An Overview; Canadian Family Physician (Chan et al., 2014), via PubMed Central, Hot yoga and pregnancy: Fitness and hyperthermia; Cleveland Clinic, Hyperventilation Symptoms, Causes & Treatment. Last reviewed 2 October 2026.
Questions
Which breathwork exercise should a beginner start with?
Extended exhale, breathing in for 4 and out for 6, is a gentle first choice: no holds, and the counts are easy to keep. Coherent breathing is a good next step. Leave the patterns with long holds, such as 4-7-8, until the counts feel easy.
Does the breathwork studio work with the screen off?
The pacer needs the page open, and the tool asks your phone to keep the screen awake while a session runs where the browser allows it. With voice cues or the chime switched on, you can follow by sound with your eyes closed.
Why is there no hold in the alternate nostril pattern?
Breath holds in nadi shodhana are a more advanced form best learned with a teacher. The guided version keeps the breath flowing: in through one side, out through the other, then back, with the visual showing which nostril is open.
What does 5.5 breaths a minute mean in coherent breathing?
Each full breath, in and out, lasts about 11 seconds: roughly 5.5 seconds in and 5.5 seconds out. That works out at five and a half breaths every minute, a slow, even rhythm without holds.
How does 4-7-8 breathing work?
Breathe in through the nose for a count of 4, hold for 7, then breathe out slowly for 8. Repeat for a few rounds, breathing gently. Leave the holds out, breathing 4 in and 8 out, if you are new, feel dizzy, or have a heart or blood pressure condition. Stop if you feel short of air.
Can you teach yourself breathwork?
Simple patterns, yes. Extended exhale, box breathing and coherent breathing are easy to learn with a pacer, starting with short sessions and no strain. Patterns with long holds, and the held form of alternate nostril breathing, are best learned with a teacher. Stop and breathe normally if you feel dizzy, tingly or uneasy.
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