Uklidni To – free online breathing exercise

Physiological sigh: the fastest way to calm down, according to a Stanford study

In 2023, a Stanford University team (Balban, Spiegel, Huberman et al.) published a month-long randomized controlled trial with 111 participants in the journal Cell Reports Medicine. It compared four daily five-minute practices: cyclic sighing (two inhales through the nose and a long exhale), box breathing, inhale-focused breathing, and classic mindfulness meditation (passively observing the breath).

After a month, all four groups reported better mood and lower anxiety, but cyclic sighing had the largest effect on mood improvement of all the practices and lowered resting breathing rate the most — a measurable sign of the body calming down. The difference was already visible after a single five-minute session and kept growing with regular repetition over 28 days.

Zdroj: Balban a kol., Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal, Cell Reports Medicine, 2023.

Box breathing: the technique used by first responders and Navy SEALs, under scientific scrutiny

Box breathing (inhale, hold, exhale and hold, all equal in length) was made famous by Navy SEALs and first responders as a way to stay calm and focused in high-pressure situations. In the Stanford study mentioned above, box breathing was one of four techniques tested and also improved participants’ mood and reduced anxiety compared to baseline — but in direct comparison it lagged behind cyclic sighing, which had the strongest effect in that study.

That doesn’t mean box breathing doesn’t work — rather, its even rhythm is great for maintaining focus and calm during a demanding task, while the long exhale in cyclic sighing works more strongly in a moment of acute stress.

Zdroj: Balban a kol., Cell Reports Medicine, 2023.

Resonant breathing and heart rate variability (HRV)

Breathing at a pace of around 6 breaths per minute (the so-called resonant frequency) is the basis of a method called HRV biofeedback. A 2017 study published in Frontiers in Public Health (Steffen et al.) found that 15 minutes of breathing at this rate increased the HRV ratio linked to higher parasympathetic nervous system activity and improved participants’ mood compared to sitting quietly.

Review studies further show that breathing at around 0.1 Hz (roughly 6 breaths/min) oscillates the heart rate exactly in the frequency band linked to vagus nerve activity — one of the mechanisms by which slow breathing builds long-term stress resilience.

Source: Steffen et al., Frontiers in Public Health, 2017; review study in Frontiers in Psychology, 2021.

Why a longer exhale helps: the role of the vagus nerve

Several techniques (Calm, 4-7-8, cyclic sighing) rely on the exhale being longer than the inhale. Reviews from recent years (e.g. Gerritsen & Band, 2018, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience) describe the mechanism by which slow breathing with a prolonged exhale stimulates the vagus nerve and activates the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system — the one that slows the body down and puts it into rest mode, as opposed to the sympathetic branch responsible for the „fight or flight“ response.

Systematic reviews of slow-breathing studies agree that the effect is real and measurable (lower heart rate, higher HRV), although the exact size of the effect varies with the specific technique, the length of the inhale/exhale, and how long the practice is kept up.

Zdroj: Gerritsen & Band, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2018; Zaccaro a kol., Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2018.

4-7-8: what we know about Dr. Andrew Weil’s technique

The 4-7-8 technique (inhale 4 s, hold 7 s, exhale 8 s) was popularized by American physician Dr. Andrew Weil as a modern adaptation of yogic pranayama. Compared to the physiological sigh or resonant breathing, the body of evidence is younger and smaller — but promising results aren’t missing either: smaller studies and recent reviews have found improvements in anxiety, sleep quality, blood pressure and heart rate variability in people with sleep disorders, after bariatric surgery, or with chronic lung disease.

In fairness, a large controlled trial comparable to the Stanford study on cyclic sighing is still missing for 4-7-8, and part of the evidence rests on smaller or uncontrolled studies. So it’s a safe and popular technique with reasonable scientific backing, not a miracle formula.

Source: scoping review of 4-7-8 breathing, 2025; smaller clinical studies in COPD and sleep disorders.

Diaphragmatic breathing: why slow belly breathing calms attention and cortisol

Diaphragmatic (belly) breathing engages the diaphragm instead of shallow chest breathing, deepens the inhale and exhale, and naturally slows the breathing rate. A 2017 Chinese study published in Frontiers in Psychology (Ma et al.) divided 40 healthy adults into a group with eight weeks of diaphragmatic breathing training and a control group.

The trained group had significantly lower salivary cortisol, better sustained attention and lower negative emotion levels after the program compared to baseline — the control group showed none of these changes. The effect wasn’t just a subjective sense of calm, but a measurable change in a stress hormone.

Zdroj: Ma a kol., The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults, Frontiers in Psychology, 2017.

Alternate-nostril breathing: what the research on Nadi Shodhana says

Alternate-nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhana, also anuloma-viloma) is one of the most studied yogic breathing techniques. A 2017 systematic review covering 44 randomized studies found strong evidence for a positive effect on the autonomic nervous system, cardiovascular parameters and cognitive function.

A specific study by Shirley Telles’s team found that 18 minutes of alternate-nostril breathing in healthy volunteers lowered blood pressure while also improving performance on an attention test requiring fine motor skills and focus. The mechanism is similar to other slow techniques — engaging the vagus nerve and shifting toward the parasympathetic, “rest” branch of the nervous system.

Source: Telles et al., Alternate-Nostril Yoga Breathing Reduced Blood Pressure While Increasing Performance in a Vigilance Test, Medical Science Monitor Basic Research, 2017; systematic review of 44 RCTs, International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2017.

Lion’s breath: a release valve for tension, though with thinner scientific backing

Lion’s breath (simhasana pranayama) is a deep inhale through the nose followed by a forceful exhale through the mouth with the tongue stuck out, often with a quiet “ha.” Unlike slow techniques such as Coherent or Calm, it’s not primarily about slowing the breath, but about releasing tension in the face, jaw and neck through a pronounced movement of the facial muscles and a loud exhale.

Direct clinical studies focused only on lion’s breath are still scarce — it’s more of a traditional yogic technique whose effect rests on the generally documented benefits of pranayama for the nervous system, and on the experience that actively stretching the facial muscles genuinely reduces felt tension. So it’s more of a quick, accessible way to “let off steam” than a technique with a large body of evidence like the physiological sigh or box breathing.

Source: reviews on the effects of pranayama on the nervous system and anxiety; Cleveland Clinic and expert yoga sources on the mechanism of lion’s breath, 2022–2025.

Breathing and music: why pairing it with ambient works even better

Guided breathing works on its own, but slow, unobtrusive music can boost the effect further. Ambient and chillout with no strong beat doesn’t force the body to “match” the tempo of the track the way faster music does, so it doesn’t override the pace set by the pulsing orb — instead it creates a sonic backdrop that helps you stay focused on your breath and blocks out distracting sounds around you.

If you want to pair the breathing exercise with ambient music, try playing SYNTHLUCIDA RELAX PLAYER in the background and start the breathing exercise here on Uklidni To — keep the music playing in one tab and let the orb guide your breath in the other.

Pursed-Lip Breathing

Inhale 2s – exhale 4s. Used e.g. for breathlessness in COPD. A short nose inhale followed by a longer exhale through pursed lips helps keep the airways open.

A systematic review of eleven studies with 226 participants (Physical Therapy Reviews, 2009) found that in stable COPD, pursed-lip breathing increases oxygen saturation and tidal volume, lowers resting breathing rate, and shortens recovery time after exertion — the effect was consistent, though most of the underlying studies were lower quality. A more recent randomized crossover study (2014, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro) further showed that in COPD patients with low expiratory flow, the technique reduces dynamic lung hyperinflation during exertion and improves exercise tolerance. It helps most in people with moderate to severe COPD, not equally for everyone.

Source: systematic review of pursed-lip breathing studies in COPD, Physical Therapy Reviews, 2009; randomized crossover study, Rio de Janeiro, 2014.

Triangle Breathing

Inhale 4s – hold 4s – exhale 4s. A simpler variant of box breathing without the second hold, suitable for everyday practice.

Direct studies on "triangle breathing" specifically are missing — it's a simplified variant of box breathing that hasn't been researched on its own in the scientific literature. Instead, it relies on the well-documented mechanism behind slow, even breathing in general: slowing the breathing rate activates the vagus nerve and shifts the body toward a calmer, parasympathetic state, similar to related techniques with documented effects. Dropping the hold after the exhale makes the technique somewhat simpler and gentler than classic box breathing with its two holds — a good choice for everyday practice or for beginners.

Source: standalone clinical data for this specific variant is missing; the mechanism draws on research into slow breathing and vagus nerve activation, e.g. Zaccaro et al., Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2018.

Calm Breathing 5-5 (NHS)

Inhale 5s – exhale 5s. A technique recommended by the UK's NHS for anxiety, typically practiced for about 3 minutes.

The technique comes from the UK's National Health Service website (the "Breathing exercises for stress" section) — it isn't a folk remedy but a method the NHS recommends for people dealing with anxiety, stress, or panic attacks. The NHS advises breathing slowly and evenly, letting the breath flow into the belly without forcing it, and counting to five on both the inhale and the exhale; it can be done sitting, lying down, or standing. The recommended length is at least 5 minutes, ideally as a regular part of the day rather than only in a moment of acute anxiety — repeating it regularly has a bigger effect than a one-off use.

Source: NHS, Breathing exercises for stress, nhs.uk.

The Relaxation Response (Herbert Benson)

Inhale 4s – exhale 6s. Based on research by Harvard cardiologist Herbert Benson on the body's so-called relaxation response to chronic stress.

The term was coined in 1975 by Harvard cardiologist Herbert Benson in the book of the same name, where he described it as the physiological opposite of the "fight or flight" response — the body slows its heart rate, breathing, and metabolism. Benson arrived at this based on research with practitioners of transcendental meditation, and in comparative studies found that similar physiological changes (lower oxygen consumption, breathing and heart rate) are also triggered by Zen meditation, yoga, autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation, or hypnosis — so it isn't one single technique, but a shared mechanism reachable by several paths. Slow breathing with a longer exhale is one of the simplest ways to get there.

Source: Benson, H., The Relaxation Response, 1975; Benson, Greenwood & Klemchuk, Journal of Human Stress, 1975.

Sitali Pranayama (Cooling Breath)

Inhale 4s – hold 4s – exhale 6s. A yogic technique of inhaling through a curled tongue, traditionally used to cool the body and calm the mind.

A 2017 randomized controlled trial (Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal) split 60 patients with high blood pressure into a group that practiced sitali and the related sitkari technique for 10 minutes a day, and a wait-list control group. The practicing group showed improved blood pressure and markers of autonomic nervous system balance after the program. The traditional "cooling" effect from the curled tongue likely doesn't cause a significant drop in body temperature the way the name suggests, more a subjective sense of calm — but it's still a technique with real, if not yet extensive, scientific backing.

Source: Shetty et al., Effects of Sheetali and Sheetkari Pranayamas on Blood Pressure and Autonomic Function in Hypertensive Patients, Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal, 2017.

Bhramari (Humming Bee Breath)

Inhale 4s – hold 2s – exhale 6s. A yogic technique with a humming sound on the exhale — the vibration helps quickly settle the mind.

A randomized trial in patients with high blood pressure (Explore, 2021) found that a single short round of humming breath didn't significantly lower blood pressure on its own, but it did significantly increase heart rate variability (HRV) toward parasympathetic dominance — a sign the body is shifting into a calmer state. Smaller studies in healthy volunteers describe a similar shift toward the parasympathetic system after just a few minutes of practice, and the humming itself may play a role through vibrations in the nasal passages and stimulation of the vagus nerve. It works more as a quick nervous-system "reset" than as a blood-pressure-lowering technique.

Source: Ghati N. et al., A randomized trial of the immediate effect of bee-humming breathing exercise on blood pressure and heart rate variability in patients with essential hypertension, Explore, 2021.

Ujjayi (Ocean Breath)

Inhale 4s – exhale 6s. A yogic technique with slight throat constriction that creates a sound similar to ocean waves. Common in yoga and meditation practice.

Ujjayi is far less studied than techniques like box breathing or humming breath — the available research is mostly small and comes from Indian yoga research centers. One study looked at so-called hyperreactors, people with a stronger physical response to stress, and found that three months of regular ujjayi practice blunted the rise in blood pressure and heart rate triggered by a cold-stress test and shifted the autonomic nervous system toward parasympathetic dominance. The technique's characteristic slight throat constriction naturally slows the breath and lengthens the exhale — a mechanism similar to other slow techniques with documented calming effects.

Source: Mahour J., Verma P., Effect of Ujjayi Pranayama on cardiovascular autonomic function tests, National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2016.

Military Technique 4-4-6-2

Inhale 4s – hold 4s – exhale 6s – hold 2s. A controlled-breathing variant with two holds, used in stress-management programs.

Direct studies on this specific timing combination (4-4-6-2) are missing — it's a variant of the broader family of combat or tactical breathing, most often done as 4-4-4-4 and known as box breathing, which according to U.S. military health materials is used by soldiers, police officers and first responders to manage acute stress. A 2025 randomized trial in women after mastectomy found that classic 4-4-4-4 box breathing significantly reduced perceived stress compared with standard care. The longer exhale and second, shorter hold in the 4-4-6-2 variant likely only slightly strengthen the calming effect, but haven't been tested on their own.

Source: Combat/Tactical Breathing, Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, USA; Avudaiselvi T., Lakshmi Prabha S., Effectiveness of Box Breathing Exercises in Reducing Stress among Women Postmastectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences, 2025.

Buteyko Method — Reduced Breathing

Inhale 2s – exhale 3s. Developed by Russian physician Konstantin Buteyko, based on gentle, shallower breathing. Used, among other things, for asthma and hyperventilation.

Buteyko developed the method in the Soviet Union in the 1950s, based on the idea that many people with asthma or anxiety chronically overbreathe — breathing more than the body actually needs. The training therefore focuses mainly on quiet, gentle nasal breathing and building tolerance to carbon dioxide, rather than on precisely counted seconds like the simplified version in this app.

A randomized trial of 90 asthma patients on inhaled corticosteroids (Cooper et al., Thorax, 2003) compared Buteyko breathing with a device mimicking pranayama and with a placebo device over 6 months. The Buteyko group had significantly fewer asthma symptoms and used substantially less reliever medication than the other groups afterward, though lung function and bronchial responsiveness didn't change. A larger 2020 Cochrane review covering 22 studies with nearly 2,900 adults and various breathing exercises, including the Buteyko method, confirmed an overall positive effect on quality of life, asthma symptoms and hyperventilation complaints.

Source: Cooper S. et al., Effect of two breathing exercises (Buteyko and pranayama) in asthma: a randomised controlled trial, Thorax, 2003; Santino T. A. et al., Breathing exercises for adults with asthma, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020.

Equal Breathing (Sama Vritti)

Inhale 4s – exhale 4s. A yogic technique with an equally long inhale and exhale — a good starting point for evening out your breathing rhythm.

Traditional sama vritti pranayama usually has four equally long phases — inhale, hold, exhale, hold — unlike the simplified two-phase version in this app, which skips the holds and is therefore more approachable for beginners.

Studies on sama vritti by itself are still scarce and mostly small, often combined with another intervention. A study of 40 older adults with high blood pressure (Bali Medical Journal, 2022) found that an eight-week program combining sama vritti pranayama with mindfulness training (MBSR) improved blood pressure, sleep quality and perceived stress compared with a control group. A small pilot study in patients with chronic kidney disease (2023) also recorded a drop in blood pressure during dialysis after several weeks of sama vritti practice using four-second phases including breath holds. The evidence is promising but still preliminary and small-scale, not a thoroughly researched technique.

Source: Noventi I. et al., The effectiveness of mindfulness based stress reduction and sama vritti pranayama, Bali Medical Journal, 2022; Dalvi M. A., Afle G. M., Effect of sama vritti pranayama on intradialytic hypertension in patients with chronic kidney disease: a pilot study, International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 2023.

The 3-4-5 Anxiety Technique

Inhale 3s – hold 4s – exhale 5s. A short inhale and the longest exhale of the cycle, used as a quick tool during a wave of anxiety.

Unlike the 5-5 calm breathing technique above, this one isn't from the UK's official NHS website — the 3-4-5 ratio was popularized mainly by British physician Dr. Rangan Chatterjee in his book The Stress Solution and on his blog, as a simple tool against stress and anxiety.

A clinical trial on this specific timing ratio doesn't exist, but the underlying principle is the same as for other techniques with a longer exhale than inhale: a prolonged exhale dampens sympathetic activity and, via the vagus nerve, strengthens the calming parasympathetic branch of the nervous system — an effect repeatedly documented for related slow-breathing techniques (see the vagus nerve article above).

Source: Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, The 3-4-5 Breath: A Simple Stress-Relief Technique, drchatterjee.com; mechanism of the longer exhale per Gerritsen & Band, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2018.

Deep Release Sigh

Inhale 5s – hold 2s – exhale 7s. A longer inhale with a brief hold and a long, relaxed exhale that creates a sense of physical release.

This is an in-app variant from the same family of extended-exhale techniques as Calm or 4-7-8 above — a brief hold at the top of the inhale gives the body a moment to "settle" the breath before the slow, relaxed exhale follows. There's no study on this exact combination of timings, but the underlying principle — a longer exhale engaging the vagus nerve — is well documented in related techniques (see the article on the vagus nerve above).

Cardiac Coherence (The 365 Method)

Inhale 6s – exhale 6s. A French method: breathe at a pace of 6 breaths per minute, 5 times a day for 5 minutes, to improve heart rate coherence.

The 365 method (3 times a day, 6 breaths per minute, for 5 minutes) was popularized in France by physician David O'Hare in his book Cohérence cardiaque 365. It draws on the HeartMath Institute's research into cardiac coherence, which found that breathing at around 6 breaths per minute — close to the resonance frequency of the breathing and cardiovascular systems — increases heart rate variability and strengthens parasympathetic activity, similar to the resonant breathing described above.

Source: O'Hare, D., Cohérence cardiaque 365, Thierry Souccar Éditions, 2012; McCraty R. et al., HeartMath Institute research on cardiac coherence.

4-8 Breathing for Panic

Inhale 4s – exhale 8s. A short inhale and a twice-as-long exhale, recommended as quick relief during a panic attack.

An exhale twice as long as the inhale is one of the most commonly recommended ratios for quick relief during panic or anxiety, and it shows up alongside similar techniques like 4-7-8 or Calm in many anxiety-management resources. There's no study on this exact 4:8 ratio, but the mechanism — a longer exhale engaging the vagus nerve — is the same as in the better-researched related techniques above.

7-11 Breathing

Inhale 7s – exhale 11s. A technique used, for example, in military stress-management programs.

The 7:11 ratio belongs to the family of techniques with a much longer exhale than inhale, and it shows up in stress- and anxiety-management programs (including for emergency responders) as a simple rule of thumb: exhale longer than you inhale. There's no study on this exact ratio of timings, but the principle — a longer exhale strengthening parasympathetic activity — is the same as in the better-researched related techniques.

Square Breathing for Kids

Inhale 3s – hold 3s – exhale 3s – hold 3s. A shorter, simpler variant of box breathing, suitable for children and practicing calm at school.

This is a shortened version of classic box breathing (see the article above) with the same four equal phases, just on a shorter three-second beat that's easier for children to keep to without a prompt. Similar "square" breathing is commonly used in schools and social-emotional learning programs as a simple, memorable calming tool, though dedicated clinical data on the children's version is lacking — it relies on the same mechanism as the adult variant.

Taoist Breathing 6-6

Inhale 6s – exhale 6s. Slow, even breathing used in traditional Chinese breathing and meditation practices (qigong).

Even breathing, with an inhale and exhale of equal length, underlies many traditional qigong and Taoist meditation practices, where the breath is consciously slowed and balanced as preparation for deeper meditation. Clinical studies on this specific traditional practice are scarce, but the general calming effect of slow, even breathing is similar to the resonant breathing described above.

4-2-6 Breathing for Sleep

Inhale 4s – hold 2s – exhale 6s. A slightly extended exhale with a short hold after the inhale — a good fit for an evening wind-down ritual.

This is a gentler variant from the same family of extended-exhale techniques as Calm breathing or 4-7-8 above, just with a shorter hold and an easier ratio of timings — a good fit for anyone who finds the full eight-second exhale of 4-7-8 hard to sustain. There's no dedicated study on this exact combination of timings, but the calming principle behind the extended exhale is the same as in the better-researched related techniques.

Kapalabhati (Skull-Shining / Cleansing Breath)

Rapid, active exhales through the nose with a passive inhale (1s / 1s), repeated. A traditional yogic technique to energize and clear the mind. Requires practice.

Kapalabhati (literally "shining skull") belongs to the shatkarmas, the traditional cleansing techniques of hatha yoga, and unlike the slow calming techniques above, it's an activating practice — forceful, rapid exhales driven by the abdominal muscles raise heart and breathing rate rather than slowing them down. Small studies suggest improved attention and mood after training, but the quality of evidence is markedly weaker than for slow techniques like the physiological sigh or box breathing.

⚠️ Not recommended during pregnancy, with high blood pressure, epilepsy, heart conditions, or shortly after surgery — consult a doctor if in doubt.

Wim Hof Method (simplified)

Rapid breathing (inhale 2s – exhale 1s), repeated. The full method also includes a breath hold on the exhale and a recovery inhale with hold — simplified in the app to a fast breathing cycle only.

A controlled 2014 study (Kox et al., PNAS) found that, after training in the method, participants could voluntarily influence their autonomic nervous system and immune response — after being injected with a bacterial endotoxin, they had a milder inflammatory reaction and fewer flu-like symptoms than a control group. The rapid breathing induces mild, controlled hyperventilation that briefly raises blood pH and heart rate — the opposite of the slow-breathing calming techniques described elsewhere on this page.

Source: Kox M. et al., Voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system and attenuation of the innate immune response in humans, PNAS, 2014.

⚠️ Never practice in water, while driving, or standing without support (risk of fainting from hyperventilation). Not recommended during pregnancy, with epilepsy, high blood pressure, or heart conditions — consult a doctor if in doubt.

Advanced Yogic Ratio 1:4:2

Inhale 3s – hold 12s – exhale 6s. A classic pranayama ratio used in more advanced practice. The longer hold requires experience.

The 1:4:2 ratio between inhale, hold, and exhale is one of the classic ratios described in traditional pranayama texts — but a long hold on full lungs is physically and mentally demanding, so it's best suited to more experienced practitioners who have built up to it gradually with shorter ratios (such as 1:1 or 1:2). If you feel dizzy or uncomfortable, shorten the hold or stop the exercise.

Three-Part Yogic Breath (Dirga Pranayama)

Inhale 6s – hold 3s – exhale 6s. Gradually filling the belly, chest, and upper lungs — a foundational technique for full, mindful breathing.

Dirga pranayama, or "three-part breath," is one of the foundational yogic breathing techniques and is often taught as a first step toward full, mindful breathing — the goal is to gradually engage the whole capacity of the lungs instead of the usual shallow, upper-chest breathing. Direct clinical studies on this specific technique are rare, but the principle of deeper, slower breathing matches the mechanism described for related slow techniques above.

Chandra Bhedana (Cooling/Moon Breath, simplified)

Inhale 4s – hold 2s – exhale 8s. Traditionally inhaled through the left nostril and exhaled through the right, with a cooling effect. Simplified in the app to a rhythm without physically alternating nostrils.

In traditional yoga, chandra bhedana is associated with "lunar," cooling, calming energy — the counterpart to the energizing surya bhedana described below. Scientific studies on chandra bhedana itself are very scarce, but the long exhale relative to the inhale follows the same extended-exhale principle that's well documented for other techniques.

Surya Bhedana (Energizing/Sun Breath, simplified)

Inhale 4s – hold 4s – exhale 2s. Traditionally inhaled through the right nostril and exhaled through the left, with an energizing effect. Simplified in the app to a rhythm without physically alternating nostrils.

In traditional yoga, surya bhedana is associated with "solar," energizing power — unlike most techniques on this page, the exhale here is shorter than the inhale, which puts it among the stimulating rather than calming practices. Dedicated clinical studies are lacking, though small studies on the related alternate-nostril breathing (nadi shodhana, see above) do show a real effect on the autonomic nervous system.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation Breathing 6-2-7

Inhale 6s – hold 2s – exhale 7s. Slow breathing with an extended exhale, used in techniques aimed at activating the parasympathetic system via the vagus nerve.

This specific 6-2-7 combination of timings doesn't have its own study, but it belongs to the broad family of techniques built on the same principle as Calm breathing or 4-7-8: an exhale considerably longer than the inhale stimulates the vagus nerve and shifts the body toward the parasympathetic, "rest" branch of the nervous system (see the article on the vagus nerve above).

Buteyko — Control Pause

Inhale 3s – hold 5s – exhale 3s. A Buteyko method variant with a short hold after the exhale, used to build tolerance to carbon dioxide.

The short hold after the inhale references the so-called control pause from the Buteyko method (see the full Buteyko article above) — an exercise where people gradually build up how long they can hold their breath without feeling the urge to gasp for air, which, according to Buteyko's theory, raises their tolerance to carbon dioxide. Clinical evidence exists for the method as a whole (particularly for asthma), but direct studies on this shorter variant specifically are lacking.

Yogic Breathing Ratio 1:2 (Vinyasa)

Inhale 3s – exhale 6s. A general guideline from yoga practice (e.g. Vinyasa) — exhale twice as long as the inhale, for smooth breathing during movement.

A 1:2 ratio between inhale and exhale is a common guideline in dynamic yoga styles like vinyasa, where the breath accompanies movement from pose to pose and the exhale lengthens to match longer or more demanding transitions. It's a general rule from yoga practice rather than a separately studied clinical technique, but the underlying principle of a longer exhale is the same as in the related calming techniques above.

Alternative Sleep Breath 4-7-7

Inhale 4s – hold 7s – exhale 7s. A 4-7-8 breathing variant with a shorter exhale, for those who find the full eight-second exhale hard to sustain.

This is a small tweak on the classic 4-7-8 technique (see the full article above) — shortening the exhale from eight to seven seconds makes the exercise a little less demanding on lung capacity while keeping the same ratio of a longer hold and exhale relative to the inhale. There's no separate study on this variant, but it draws on the same, well-documented principle as the original.

Papworth Method (Nasal Diaphragmatic Breathing)

Inhale through the nose 4s – exhale through the nose 6s. A physiotherapy method of calm, slow nasal and diaphragmatic breathing from the 1960s, developed for patients with asthma and hyperventilation syndrome; simplified in the app to a regular breathing rhythm.

The method was developed in the late 1960s at Papworth Hospital in the UK for patients with asthma and hyperventilation syndrome, combining training in calm nasal and diaphragmatic breathing with elements of relaxation. A 2007 randomized trial (Holloway & West, Thorax) in adults with asthma found that, compared with usual care, the method improved asthma-related quality of life and reduced hyperventilation symptoms, though lung function itself didn't change significantly.

Source: Holloway E. A., West R. J., Integrated breathing and relaxation training (the Papworth method) for adults with asthma in primary care: a randomised controlled trial, Thorax, 2007.

Bhastrika (Bellows Breath)

Inhale through the nose 2s – exhale through the nose 2s, quick and forceful, repeated. A yogic technique similar to Kapalabhati, but with an active and equally forceful inhale and exhale.

The name bhastrika means "bellows" in Sanskrit — unlike kapalabhati, where only the exhale is active, here both the inhale and exhale are forceful, making it the most energetically demanding of the yogic "fire breaths" on this page. Like kapalabhati, it's primarily an activating rather than calming practice, and larger clinical studies on bhastrika itself are lacking.

⚠️ Not recommended during pregnancy, with high blood pressure, epilepsy, heart conditions, or shortly after surgery — consult a doctor if in doubt.

5-8 Breathing for Public Speakers

Inhale 5s – exhale 8s. An extended-exhale technique popularized by public-speaking coaches and voice trainers to calm nerves before a talk or presentation.

A longer, calm exhale before a talk helps settle nerves through the same mechanism as the other extended-exhale techniques, while also training the breath control needed for smooth speech — speakers learn not to gasp for air mid-sentence. There's no study on this exact ratio of timings, but the general benefit of slow breathing for nerves and focus is well supported by related techniques.