Breath Therapy Tool

This breath therapy tool is designed to help you with stress management, but it does also have many other uses too. 

You take between 20,000 to 25,000 breaths every single day, and most of the time, you’re not even aware of it. But how you breathe affects your entire physiology. Your mental clarity. Your emotional stability. Your physical health. Even how well you sleep at night or how you respond to stress.

The breath is one your most accessible and powerful tool for health, especially for stress management, and it’s completely free. You don’t need equipment, apps (though they can certainly help), or a fancy gym membership. It’s with you all the time. You’re doing it right now, in this moment (I hope). The key is learning how to use it with intention.

Now, don’t get me wrong, breathwork isn’t just about “relaxing” or taking a few deep breaths. That’s part of it, sure. But at a deeper level, breath training is like physiotherapy for your nervous system. Every inhale and exhale sends a signal to your brain. You’re either telling it, “Hey, we’re safe, you can chill out.” Or you’re reinforcing the stress response.

I designed this breath therapy tool so you could access the power of effective breathing, without having to pay for some expensive app. I hope you enjoy it!

Breath Therapy Tool

Breathing techniques are powerful, but knowing how and when to use them can be overwhelming, especially when you’re just starting out. That’s where the Breath Therapy Tool comes in.

What Is The Breath Therapy Tool?

The Breath Therapy Tool is an interactive breathing coach that guides you through structured breathing sessions, step by step, breath by breath. Whether you’re a total beginner learning how to slow down your breath, or an experienced biohacker fine-tuning your rhythm for peak performance, this tool adapts to your level.

At its core, it combines visual breath guidance with real-time timing cues. Think of it like a meditation timer, but designed specifically for breathwork, with animations and pacing to match your chosen technique.

It takes the guesswork out of breath training and turns your device into a calming, focused space to practice anywhere, anytime.

Key Features

This tool is packed with features that make breathwork not only easier, but more engaging and effective.

Technique Selector

Choose from evidence-backed techniques like:

• Box Breathing (4-4-4-4) (great for stress and focus)
• 4-7-8 Breathing (ideal for anxiety and sleep)
• Coherent Breathing (5-5) (for nervous system regulation)
• Plus extended exhale and diaphragmatic breathing patterns

Custom Breathing Patterns

Want full control? You can create your own custom pattern with personalized inhale, hold, and exhale timings. This is excellent for more advanced users or coaches tailoring routines for clients.

Session Duration Options 

From quick 1-minute resets to 60-minute deep sessions, you control how long you breathe. There’s even a custom duration setting if you want something specific.

Visual Feedback

Animated breathing circles expand and contract with your breath. Timers, glowing indicators, and phase cues (like “Inhale” or “Hold”) help you stay engaged and present without thinking.

Why It Works

This isn’t just about pretty visuals. The Breath Therapy Tool is rooted in behavioural psychology and habit formation. Here’s why it’s so effective:

• Visual + Auditory Guidance = Improved Focus. When your eyes and brain are synced to a rhythm, it becomes easier to stay in the moment, and easier to maintain a consistent breath pace without counting in your head.
• Structured Routines Build Habit. You don’t have to remember the sequence or timing. Just press start, follow the animation, and breathe. The simplicity encourages regular practice, which is where the magic happens.
• Eliminates “What Do I Do Next?” Anxiety. One of the biggest barriers to breathwork is not knowing what to focus on. This tool removes that friction entirely. You just show up, breathe, and let the guidance do the rest.

The Science Behind Breathwork

Let’s get into the why behind breathwork. This isn’t woo-woo or wishful thinking, there’s real, powerful science explaining why changing your breath can change how you feel, perform, and handle stress.

As a coach, I often tell clients:

“Your breath is like a dial that controls your nervous system. You just need to learn how to turn it.”

How Breathing Affects the Nervous System

Your body has two primary modes, governed by the autonomic nervous system:

• Sympathetic (“fight or flight”). This is your stress response system. It kicks in when you’re under pressure and heart rate rises, muscles tense, and cortisol (your stress hormone) floods your bloodstream.
• Parasympathetic (“rest and digest”). This is your recovery mode. It slows your heart rate, aids digestion, and signals to your body, “we’re safe now.”

The magic of breathwork is that you can use it to flip the switch between these two states, at will, using nothing but your breath.

The Vagus Nerve Connection

Your vagus nerve is like the superhighway between your brain and body. It regulates heart rate, digestion, immune function, and more. Slow, rhythmic breathing stimulates this nerve, sending signals up to the brain that it’s time to relax and recover.

And the best part is that you feel the effects almost immediately:

• Heart rate slows down
• Blood pressure lowers
• Cortisol drops
• Muscles start to release tension

The Breath-Health Connection

Okay, so breath controls the nervous system, but what else does it impact? Honestly, a lot more than most people realise.

1. Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

HRV is a key marker of your overall health and resilience. Higher HRV means your body can bounce back from stress more easily. Slow, consistent breathing increases HRV, which is a great reason to make breathwork a daily practice.

2. Oxygen-CO₂ Balance

When we breathe too fast or shallow (which is super common when stressed), we disrupt the natural balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. Breathwork helps correct this imbalance, improving cellular energy, mental clarity, and endurance.

3. Whole-Body Benefits

Here’s what better breathing can do:

• Improve sleep, by calming the mind and lowering nighttime cortisol.
• Support digestion, by activating the parasympathetic system.
• Sharpen focus, by bringing more oxygen to the brain.
• Boost immunity, via vagal tone and inflammation reduction.

So when you take a few minutes to breathe with intention, you’re not just “relaxing”, you’re literally upgrading your body’s operating system.

Fundamentals: How to Breathe Properly

Before we dive into advanced techniques or fancy breathing patterns, we need to start with the basics. What we generally want with each breath, at least in this context is deep diaphramatic breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, is the foundation of healthy, effective breathwork.

It’s simple. It’s powerful. But unfortunately, it’s something most adults have forgotten how to do.

The Art of Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing)

Why Most People Breathe Incorrectly

Modern life trains us to breathe poorly. Constant stress, desk jobs, shallow chest movements, and tight posture all lead to a fast, shallow breathing pattern.

What does that mean?

• We breathe mostly from the chest, not the belly.
• We over-breathe, taking more breaths than we need.
• We don’t use the diaphragm, the main muscle designed for breathing.

Over time, this type of breathing keeps the body in a low-level state of stress, even when there’s no danger.

How to Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing (Step-by-Step)

Here’s how to retrain your breath and engage the diaphragm:

1. Find a comfortable position. Sit back in a chair or lie down on your back with your knees bent.
2. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. This helps you feel where the breath is going.
3. Inhale slowly through your nose. Focus on sending the breath down, into your belly. You want the hand on your belly to rise, while the chest stays mostly still.
4. Exhale gently through your mouth. Lips slightly pursed. Feel your belly fall.
5. Repeat for 2-5 minutes. Let the breath be smooth, not forced. Try to make the exhale slightly longer than the inhale for extra calming effects.

    

What to Feel and Look For

• The belly expands on the inhale, and contracts on the exhale
• Shoulders stay relaxed and low
• Breathing is slow, quiet, and even
• You feel more grounded and calm after just a few breaths

Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing

This is more than just “taking a deep breath”, it’s retraining your body to breathe the way it was designed to. Practicing this regularly leads to:

• Lung expansion which improves oxygen intake and efficiency
• Stress reduction, as this breathing triggers the parasympathetic nervous system
• Mental clarity, as you get more oxygen to the brain, you get less mental fog
• Better posture, because when the diaphragm is active, the whole core functions better
• Improved breath control, which is essential for techniques like box breathing or 4-7-8

   

If you only learn one thing from this guide, let it be this. Diaphragmatic breathing is the foundation. Once you get this down, all the other techniques become more effective, and feel more natural.

Choosing the Right Technique for Your Goal

Not all breathwork is created equal. Different patterns serve different purposes, as some calm your nerves, others sharpen your mind, and some are like hitting the reset button on your nervous system.

Let’s break down the top techniques featured in the Breath Therapy Tool, so you can pick the right one for the moment you’re in.

Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)

Box breathing is a breath technique that effectively has you treating each segment of the breath (the inhale, pause, exhale, and pause) with the same reverence and allocating the same time to each segment. 

It really forces you to slow your beathing and actually be in control throughout. 

Best for:

• Focus
• Mental clarity
• Stress management

Popular with Navy SEALs, elite athletes, emergency responders, CEOs, and anyone who operates under pressure and needs to maintain poise, precision, and presence.

When to Use It

Box breathing is one of the most versatile tools in your breathwork toolkit. It’s structured, simple, and powerful in high-stakes or high-stress situations.

Here’s when I recommend using it:

• Before a big meeting or presentation. Calms pre-performance nerves and sharpens mental focus.
• During a stressful moment. If your heart’s racing, your mind is spiraling, or tension is building, you can use it to pause and regain control.

   

• As a mid-day reset. Just 2-3 minutes can completely shift your physiology and energy level.
• When you’re feeling scattered or unfocused. Great for grounding yourself when you’re jumping between tasks or overloaded with decisions.

   

You can keep this technique in your back pocket as a go-to technique. You can do it silently in a meeting, in your car before going inside, or on a walk between calls. It is extremely versatile and effective.

Why It Works

Box breathing is rhythmic, symmetrical, and structured, and that’s exactly what the brain loves when it feels overwhelmed.

• Each phase (inhale → hold → exhale → hold) is evenly timed, which helps to regulate your nervous system.
• Holding the breath (on both ends) increases CO₂ tolerance, which can improve resilience to stress.
• The pattern slows your breathing rate, which reduces heart rate and blood pressure.
• Focusing on the four-part rhythm naturally pulls your attention away from racing thoughts and into the present.

How to Do It

It is pretty straightforward to do, but it can be helpful to have an outline of the technique:

1. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds. Feel the breath travel down into your belly.
2. Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Keep the body relaxed, and shoulders soft.
3. Exhale slowly through your mouth for 4 seconds. Let go of tension as you breathe out.
4. Hold at the bottom for 4 seconds. Rest in stillness before beginning the next breath.

    

Repeat this 4-phase cycle for 1 to 5 minutes (or longer if desired). Some people like to try visualising each side of a square as you move through the phases, one side per breath phase, but generally just use the visualiser on our breath therapy tool.

Box breathing is effectively a mental reset disguised as a breathing pattern. You don’t need silence, candles, or a yoga mat. Just a few seconds of space and your breath.

4-7-8 Breathing

The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a simple, calming breathing exercise designed to reduce anxiety, help with sleep, and promote relaxation. It involves inhaling quietly through the nose for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and then exhaling slowly and completely through the mouth for 8 seconds. This method acts like a natural dampener for the nervous system by slowing the heart rate and encouraging a deeper, more mindful breathing pattern. It’s often recommended for managing stress, calming the mind, and preparing the body for rest.

Best for:

• Sleep
• Anxiety
• Calming the mind and body

This is one of the most deeply soothing breathing techniques I’ve ever taught, and it’s especially powerful for people who struggle to turn off their thoughts at night, or anytime the mind feels overstimulated.

When to Use It

4-7-8 Breathing is your go-to for slowing everything down, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Here’s when it shines:

• As part of your wind-down routine. Use it while lying in bed, brushing your teeth, or right before you put your phone down for the night.
• During moments of high anxiety or panic. When your thoughts are racing and your breath is short, this pattern helps you regain control.
• When you can’t fall asleep. Whether it’s a restless mind or physical tension, this pattern gently shifts you into parasympathetic mode, the body’s natural sleep gear.

   

It’s also great during nighttime wake-ups. Try it if you find yourself staring at the ceiling at 2:00 AM.

Why It Works

This technique taps directly into your nervous system’s relaxation switch. Here’s what’s happening:

• Inhale for 4 seconds: A gentle, manageable breath to avoid overstimulation.
• Hold for 7 seconds: This increases CO₂ levels slightly, which triggers a relaxation response in the brain. It also gives you space between the inhale and exhale, creating calm stillness.
• Exhale for 8 seconds: The long, extended exhale is the secret sauce. It signals safety to the body, lowers heart rate, and boosts parasympathetic tone (rest-and-digest mode).

   

Long exhalations are scientifically shown to:

• Lower blood pressure
• Reduce sympathetic nervous system activity
• Shift the brain toward theta and delta brainwaves (the same waves dominant during deep sleep)

How to Do It

You can practice this lying down, sitting comfortably, or even in a quiet space at work. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds. Keep it smooth and quiet, and feel your belly rise slightly.
2. Hold your breath for 7 seconds. Try not to tense up. Soften your jaw and shoulders.
3. Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds. Let it be a soft, controlled exhale, like blowing gently through a straw.

Repeat this cycle 4 times to start. Over time, you can extend your session up to 8-10 cycles and even longer.

You can try to practice this nightly, even when you’re not feeling anxious or restless. Your body will start to recognise it as a cue for sleep, kind of like turning off a light switch. Over time, you’ll train your system to downshift the moment you start this pattern.

It’s one of the simplest ways to shift from overthinking to deep rest, no supplements, screens, or tools required. Just your breath.

Coherent Breathing (5-5)

Coherent breathing, also known as 5-5 breathing, is a balanced breathing technique where you inhale for 5 seconds and exhale for 5 seconds, creating a steady rhythm of about 5 breaths per minute. This practice helps synchronise the heart, lungs, and nervous system, promoting a state of calm and improving heart rate variability (HRV), which is linked to better stress resilience and emotional regulation. By maintaining equal, slow breaths, coherent breathing supports mental clarity, emotional balance, and overall physiological harmony, making it a powerful tool for relaxation and focus.

Best for:

• Heart rate variability (HRV)
• Deep calm
• Emotional regulation

If you’re looking for one technique to build a daily breathwork habit, this is it. Coherent breathing is gentle, grounding, and scientifically validated. It helps you find internal balance, not just in the moment, but over time.

When to Use It

Coherent breathing is your go-to for creating emotional and physiological stability. Think of it as the “baseline breath” for a well-regulated life. It’s perfect:

• As a daily breathwork practice. Just 5-10 minutes a day can make a noticeable difference in mood and energy.
• Before meditation or journaling. It helps quiet mental noise and brings you into your body, great for getting present before inner work.
• When you’re emotionally reactive, overstimulated, or drained. This breath pattern supports emotional regulation and restores your inner equilibrium.

I often use this breathing technique before difficult conversations or after intense emotional experiences, and it’s like an emotional stabiliser.

Why It Works

This is one of the most research-backed breathing methods out there, especially in the realm of HRV training and autonomic balance.

It’s pretty straightforward as you just: Inhale for 5 seconds → Exhale for 5 seconds. You then aim to do this for at least 1 minute. That’s 6 full breaths per minute, the sweet spot for resonance frequency in the nervous system.

Here’s what this does for your body:

• Synchronises heart rate with breath (known as respiratory sinus arrhythmia)
• Improves heart rate variability (HRV), a key marker of stress resilience and recovery
• Balances the autonomic nervous system, reducing overactivation of either stress or shutdown modes
• Brings calm without sedation, you’re alert, but grounded

This technique is even used in clinical settings for:

• Anxiety and depression
• PTSD
• High blood pressure
• Chronic stress and burnout

How to Do It

1. Sit or lie in a relaxed position. Keep your posture open and comfortable.
2. Inhale gently through the nose for 5 seconds. Feel the breath expand down into your belly.
3. Exhale slowly for 5 seconds. Let the breath leave the body effortlessly, no force, no holding.

    

Continue this smooth rhythm for at least 1 minute, but ideally 5-10 minutes. You can close your eyes or use a visual guide like the Breath Therapy Tool’s expanding circle to stay in sync.

If you want one breathing style to do daily, this is probably it. It’s simple enough for beginners, yet powerful enough to support long-term nervous system health. 

The beauty of Coherent Breathing is its effortlessness. There are no breath holds, no strain, just a smooth back-and-forth rhythm that brings the whole system into balance.

Extended Exhale (4-0-8-0)

Extended Exhale breathing, often structured as a 4-0-8-0 pattern, involves inhaling through the nose for 4 seconds, holding no pause after the inhale, exhaling slowly for 8 seconds, and again not pausing before the next inhale. The key feature is the longer exhale, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to reduce stress, lower heart rate, and promote a sense of calm. This technique is especially useful for anxiety, emotional regulation, and winding down, as the extended exhale naturally signals the body to relax and let go of tension.

Best for:

• Nervous system reset
• Parasympathetic activation
• Releasing built-up tension

This technique is one of the simplest and most effective ways to switch your body from “go mode” to “rest mode.” If your mind is racing, your body is buzzing, or you’ve just come out of something intense, this is the breath to come back to.

When to Use It

Extended Exhale breathing is especially helpful in moments when your system feels on edge or overstimulated, and you need to come back to centre.

Here’s when I recommend using it:

• After intense effort. Whether that’s a hard workout, a nerve-wracking meeting, or a conflict with someone, or even a hard training session, this helps you come back down gently.
• When you’re feeling tense, anxious, or jittery. If you notice shallow, quick breathing, clenched muscles, or a racing heart, this breath can reset the system.
• For mid-day resets or evening wind-downs. Try it before dinner, during your commute, or right before bed to shed the tension of the day.

This breathing pattern is especially great during transitions, between work and home, between tasks, or before sleep. It helps you shift gears and to get relaxed.

Why It Works

This breath pattern is rooted in solid neuroscience and physiology. The key here is the longer exhale, and no breath holds. Here’s what that does:

• Exhaling longer than you inhale automatically activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the calming, regulating branch).
• It slows your heart rate and decreases blood pressure.
• It tells your brain you’re safe, which helps reduce stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
• The smooth, hold-free rhythm keeps the experience effortless and non-threatening, making it especially good for sensitive or anxious states.

   

Your heart actually speeds up slightly as you inhale and slows as you exhale. By stretching out the exhale, you maximise this calming effect, literally slowing your heartbeat through your breath.

How to Do It

This breath can be practised sitting, lying down, or even walking slowly. No special tools are needed, just awareness and a few moments of stillness.

1. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds. Try to make it smooth, quiet, and low (into your belly).
2. Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds. Let it be long, slow, and steady, like you’re gently sighing through a straw.
3. No holds between breaths. As soon as the exhale ends, begin the next inhale.

Repeat for 2-5 minutes, or as long as needed. Just a few rounds often create a noticeable shift.

This is a gentle but powerful pattern you can use throughout the day. No strain, no fancy techniques, just long, intentional exhales to soften the edges of stress.

Diaphragmatic Breathing (4-0-6-0)

Diaphragmatic breathing, often practiced in a 4-0-6-0 rhythm, involves breathing deeply into the belly rather than the chest, with a 4-second inhale, no pause, a 6-second exhale, and no pause before the next breath. This technique emphasises the use of the diaphragm, encouraging full oxygen exchange and promoting relaxation. By extending the exhale slightly, it engages the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to lower stress levels, improve focus, and enhance overall respiratory efficiency. Diaphragmatic breathing is commonly used in meditation, yoga, and therapy to ground the body and calm the mind.

Best for:

• Respiratory health
• Deep relaxation
• Breath training foundation

This technique is where breathwork begins, and where it always returns. It’s not flashy, fast, or intense. It’s gentle, restorative, and foundational, helping you reconnect with the natural mechanics of breathing the way your body was designed to.

When to Use It

Diaphragmatic Breathing is ideal when you need to rebuild your relationship with your breath or create a calm, steady rhythm without overthinking. It’s perfect:

• As a foundation for all other breathwork. If you’re learning Box Breathing, 4-7-8, or custom techniques, this is the technique to master first.
• If you’re new to conscious breathing. It’s easy to follow, and it teaches you how to breathe.
• During recovery, low-energy days, or physical fatigue. This pattern promotes oxygen efficiency, muscle relaxation, and parasympathetic activation without requiring focus or effort.

   

You can use it when you’re lying on the sofa, between workouts, or any time your body needs rest and your mind needs grounding.

Why It Works

At its core, this technique is about engaging the diaphragm, the dome-shaped muscle that sits just below your lungs. It’s responsible for healthy, full-body breathing. But when we’re stressed or sitting all day, we often revert to shallow chest breathing, which limits oxygen intake and keeps the nervous system slightly on edge.

Here’s how Diaphragmatic Breathing helps:

• Encourages full, low belly breaths instead of shallow upper-chest inhales
• Promotes efficient gas exchange, increasing oxygen and carbon dioxide balance
• Naturally stimulates the vagus nerve, promoting calm and rest
• Trains the respiratory muscles, especially helpful for singers, athletes, and anyone looking to build breath control

   

Engaging the diaphragm more consistently improves respiratory strength, lung capacity, and oxygenation, all of which have benefits that support both physical and emotional resilience.

How to Do It

This breath pattern is accessible, simple, and deeply soothing. Here’s how to try it:

1. Lie down or sit upright with a relaxed posture. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly.
2. Inhale gently through your nose for 4 seconds. Feel your belly expand like a balloon. The hand on your belly should rise, while the chest stays mostly still.
3. Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 seconds. Let your belly soften and fall. Make it a passive, quiet release.
4. No holds between phases. As soon as the exhale finishes, move right into the next inhale.

Continue for 3-10 minutes, allowing your body to sink deeper into calm with each breath.

Try syncing your breath with a visual guide (like the expanding circle in our Breath Therapy Tool) to stay focused and present.

This is where beginners should start, and where pros often return to when they want to refine their foundation. I revisit this technique constantly, especially after a heavy week or when I’ve been running on autopilot. It’s like coming home to your breath.

Diaphragmatic Breathing isn’t just a technique, it’s a daily reset, a place to reconnect to your body, and a way to practice being fully present

Custom Patterns

Our breath therapy tool allows you to create your own custom patterns. This is more for the advanced users out there, as I personally hate when tools like this don’t allow you to customise things to your needs. 

Best for:

• Personalising your breath practice
• Training for endurance, lung capacity, or focus
• Fine-tuning your emotional and physiological state

Once you’ve got the basics down, custom patterns open up a whole new world. This is where breathwork shifts from something you follow… to something you craft based on your unique body, mind, and goals.

When to Use Custom Patterns

Custom breathwork is ideal when you’re ready to explore, expand, or evolve your practice. Consider using it:

• After mastering structured techniques. If you’ve practised Box, 4-7-8, or Coherent breathing and want more flexibility.
• To train for endurance or lung capacity. Athletes, swimmers, yogis, and martial artists often tweak breath holds and exhale lengths to push performance.
• When you want to create a specific mood or outcome. Maybe you want to go deeper into relaxation. Or perhaps you want a sharper, energising breath for alertness. Custom patterns let you do both.

How It Works

In the Breath Therapy Tool’s “Custom” mode, you set your own timing for each part of the breath cycle:

• Inhale time: How much air you bring in
• Hold after inhale: Builds CO₂ tolerance, focus, and stillness
• Exhale time: The longer this is, the more calming the effect (up to a point)
• Hold after exhale: Builds control, resilience, and nervous system strength

   

For example:

• Want calm and balance? Try 5-0-10-0 (long exhale, no holds)
• Want mental sharpness? Try 6-6-6-6 (structured Box pattern with a longer time)
• Want to challenge yourself? Try 6-8-10-4 and see how your body responds (gently!)

   

With the tool’s sliders and buttons, you can adjust each phase with precision and dial it in to your unique needs.

Why It Matters

Customisation puts you in the driver’s seat. Over time, your body changes, so should your breath. What worked on a stressful Monday might not be right for a slow Sunday.

Here’s what Custom Patterns help you develop:

• Self-awareness: Tuning into how breath affects your mood, energy, and focus
• Mental resilience: Longer holds teach patience, presence, and control
• Physical endurance: Training your lungs and diaphragm makes every other activity easier

Play with extending your exhale or breath holds. Find the edge where it challenges you, but always keep it safe and relaxed. That’s where growth happens. You’re not trying to force the breath, you’re learning to dance with it.

Custom breathwork is where the practice becomes truly yours. It’s not about performing, it’s about exploring what your breath can teach you.

How to Use the Tool Effectively

The Breath Therapy Tool is simple by design, but how you use it makes a big difference. Think of it like a gym for your nervous system: you’ll get better results with the right setup, timing, and attention.

This section is your step-by-step guide to making each session powerful, intentional, and transformative, even if it’s just 2 minutes in the middle of a busy day.

Setup for Success

Before you press “Start,” take a moment to create a space that supports deep breathing and presence:

• Find a quiet space. You don’t need complete silence, but minimizing distractions makes it easier to go inward.
• Sit or lie down comfortably. Choose a position that lets your body fully relax. No slouching, you want to keep your spine long and your chest open.
• Minimise distractions. Turn off notifications, silence your phone, and let people know you’re taking a few minutes for yourself.
• Use headphones (optional). We generally recommend pairing this Breath Therapy Tool with our Sound Therapy Tool. Depending on your exact goal, this can make the whole process infinitely more effective.
• Pick a goal and breathing technique accordingly. Want to calm down? Go for 4-7-8 or Extended Exhale. Want to refocus? Try Box Breathing or Coherent Breathing. Let your intention guide your choice.

Selecting Duration

You don’t need to do long sessions to benefit, but choosing the right session length for your energy and goals is key.

Short Sessions (1-5 minutes)

Perfect for:

• Quick mental resets during the day
• Grounding yourself before a stressful task
• Returning to calm after a spike of anxiety

Medium Sessions (5-20 minutes)

Best for:

• Daily breathwork routines
• After workouts or at the end of the workday
• Practising breath control and nervous system balance

Long Sessions (30-60+ minutes)

Ideal for:

• Deep stress recovery
• Meditative breath journeys
• Building lung capacity, endurance, and advanced breath discipline

Do remember that quality always beats quantity. It’s better to do 5 minutes of fully focused breathing than 20 minutes while multitasking.

Watching the Visuals

The Breath Therapy Tool’s visual guidance is more than just aesthetics, it’s a powerful anchor for your attention.

• Use the expanding and contracting circle. This is your cue for when to inhale and exhale. Let it guide your rhythm so you don’t have to count or overthink.
• Timer countdown = mental focus anchor. The breath-phase timer (showing how many seconds are left in each inhale, hold, or exhale) helps keep you present. Use it like a visual metronome.
• The session timer helps track your progress. Watching the remaining time tick down can be motivating and grounding. It’s a reminder that you’re doing the work, one breath at a time.

   

With the right mindset, environment, and technique, the Breath Therapy Tool becomes more than a breathing tool, it becomes your personal space for nervous system training, emotional regulation, and mental clarity.

Breathwork for Specific Goals

One of the most powerful things about breathwork is its versatility. Whether you’re trying to calm down, sleep better, or sharpen your mind, there’s a breath pattern that can get you there.

This section breaks down which techniques to use based on what you want to achieve, and why they work.

Stress and Anxiety

Recommended Techniques:

• Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)
• 4-7-8 Breathing

When you’re anxious or overwhelmed, your breathing often becomes shallow, fast, and irregular. These patterns reinforce the stress response. Breathwork flips the script, creating rhythm and control where there was chaos.

Why it works:

• Both techniques regulate your breath rate, slowing down your nervous system.
• The intentional holds (especially in 4-7-8) increase CO₂ retention, which helps reduce panic and stabilise oxygen exchange.
• Holding and extending the breath sends a powerful signal to the brain: “We’re not in danger. We can slow down.”

Generally I recommend that you try Box Breathing when you’re still functioning but tense. Use 4-7-8 when anxiety feels overwhelming or when you’re winding down.

Better Sleep

Recommended Techniques:

• 4-7-8 Breathing
• Extended Exhale (4-0-8-0)

Breath is one of the best natural sleep aids there is. These patterns shift your body into deep parasympathetic mode, which prepares the brain and body for rest.

Pre-bed ritual idea:

• Dim the lights
• Put away screens
• Lie down or sit upright in bed
• Practice 5 minutes of slow, intentional breathing using one of these patterns

Why it works:

• Extended exhales reduce heart rate and blood pressure
• The longer you exhale, the more your vagus nerve is activated, promoting melatonin production and sleepiness
• These rhythms also help quiet racing thoughts and mental overactivity

   

Pair this with calming music, a warm bath, and some chamomile tea to build an extremely effective sleep ritual.

Focus and Clarity

Recommended Techniques:

• Coherent Breathing (5-5)
• Box Breathing

Need to dial in before a big task, creative project, or performance? These patterns help you stabilise attention, reduce distractions, and get into flow.

When to use:

• Before high-stakes meetings
• During transitions (like shifting from emails to deep work)
• As a daily “mental sharpening” practice

Why it works:

• Coherent breathing syncs your heart rate and breathing rhythm, increasing heart rate variability (HRV), which is a key factor in cognitive performance
• Box breathing helps reset your brain from overstimulation and brings symmetry and structure to your mind

Try 3 minutes of breathwork before opening your laptop in the morning or before heading into an interview, and see what kind of difference this makes for you and whether it is something you should be regularly using.

Emotional Regulation

Recommended Techniques:

• All of them.

When emotions run high, our breath is often the first thing to change, and the first thing we can control. Any breath pattern can serve as an emotional reset button if done with awareness.

Try this pairing:

• Breathwork + Journaling or Mindfulness
  Start with 2-5 minutes of breathing to clear emotional clutter, then reflect or write from a calmer place.

Why it works:

• Conscious breathing creates space between reaction and response
• It lowers physiological arousal so you’re not swept away by the emotion
• You create a buffer, allowing emotion to move through you without taking over

Next time you’re frustrated, angry, or sad, try just three rounds of your favourite breath technique before reacting. You’ll be surprised what shift in your state of mind this causes. 

General Physical Health

Recommended Technique:

• Diaphragmatic Breathing (4-0-6-0)

If you’re looking to improve your lung function, breath control, or recovery, diaphragmatic breathing is the foundation.

Why it works:

• Engages the full capacity of your lungs, and not just the upper chest
• Strengthens the diaphragm and intercostal muscles (important for athletes, singers, and anyone with respiratory challenges)
• Increases oxygen efficiency, making your body better at using the air you take in
• Supports recovery from exertion, illness, or inflammation by promoting parasympathetic dominance

   

You can incorporate this breath during cooldowns, walks, or stretching to accelerate recovery and train better breath habits.

Whatever your goal, breathwork is a powerful and highly adaptable tool. Start with one technique that fits your current need. Practice it consistently, and you’ll build a foundation of self-regulation, resilience, and clarity that shows up in every area of your life.

Integrating Breathwork into Your Life

Breathwork isn’t just something you do once in a while, it’s a tool you can carry with you everywhere. The key is to move from occasional practice to integrated habit. The good news is that it doesn’t take much time. Just a few intentional breaths a day can shift how you feel, think, and respond.

This section is all about helping you weave breathwork into your real life, so it supports you on good days, tough days, and everything in between.

Build a Daily Practice

The most powerful breathwork routine is the one you actually stick with. That means making it simple, accessible, and consistent.

How to do it:

• Stack it with an existing routine
• Morning: Right after brushing your teeth or before coffee
• Evening: As part of your wind-down before bed
• Pair with meditation, journaling, or stretching

• Start small. 3 to 5 minutes per day is more than enough to see benefits. Don’t overthink it. Consistency > intensity.

   

• Pick a “default” technique. Choose one go-to method (like Coherent Breathing or Diaphragmatic) that you enjoy and can rely on every day.

On-the-Go Breathing

Life gets busy, but breathwork travels with you. Mini-sessions are perfect for moments where you need a reset but don’t have time (or space) for a full session.

Try these 1-minute breath breaks:

• In your car before going into work or after a tough meeting
• In an elevator, while you ride to your floor
• While walking, sync your steps to your breath (inhale 4 steps, exhale 6 steps)
• On a bathroom break, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed

Even one minute of intentional breathing can shift your mental state from scattered to centred. You can easily set a reminder on your phone: “Take 3 breaths.” It’s simple, and it works.

Track Progress

If you want to really see how breathwork is helping you, start tracking. This doesn’t have to be complicated, but paying attention helps you stay motivated and see the change over time.

Ways to track:

• Use a simple journal. After your session, jot down how you feel: calm, energised, sleepy, clear, etc. Over time, you’ll start to notice patterns.
• Pair with wearables (like WHOOP, Oura, Garmin, or Apple Watch). Track your heart rate variability (HRV), resting heart rate, and sleep. Breathwork often improves all three.
• Notice your reactivity. Are you less snappy with your kids? Less anxious before calls? More patient in traffic? That’s breathwork at work.

   

Breathwork isn’t just a tool, it’s a lifestyle enhancer. By integrating it into your daily rhythm, you’re training your body and mind to stay balanced, adaptable, and resilient, no matter what life throws at you.

Advanced Tips 

Once you’ve got the basics down and breathwork with the breath therapy tool is part of your routine, you might feel the urge to go deeper, and that’s great. But this is where it’s especially important to practice with intention and awareness, not ego or over-effort.

Here are a few advanced insights I’ve learned from years of coaching, from training athletes to guiding stressed professionals:

1. Avoid Overexertion and Breathe Comfortably

This might sound obvious, but it’s one of the most common mistakes I see in breathwork, people just try too hard.

• If you’re straining, gasping, or getting lightheaded, back off.
• If your shoulders are creeping up, or your jaw is tight, soften.
• The breath should feel smooth, not forced.

Breathwork isn’t a competition. Your nervous system responds best when you feel safe, not stressed.

2. Don’t Chase Intensity, Chase Consistency

Advanced breathwork isn’t about doing extreme patterns or long holds, it’s about showing up every day, even if it’s just for 2 minutes.

• A little bit daily builds long-term nervous system adaptability.
• It’s better to do 5 minutes a day than one 30-minute session once a week.

   

Consistency is what rewires your system. Intensity can create momentary change, but habit creates long lasting change.

3. Cold Exposure + Breathwork = Next-Level Resilience

For those ready to experiment, combining cold exposure (like cold showers or ice baths) with breathwork can take your stress resilience to the next level.

• Start with gentle breathing (Coherent or Diaphragmatic) while in cold water to stay calm
• Avoid fast breathing or hyperventilation unless trained in specific protocols (e.g. Wim Hof Method)

This combo teaches your body to stay relaxed under stress, which is incredibly valuable for mental toughness, recovery, and emotional regulation.

Always use caution though, and never mix breath holds with deep water exposure. Practice in safe environments and listen to your body.

4. Use Breath Holds for Lung Training, But Only With Guidance

Breath holds (a.k.a. retention training) can be a powerful tool for:

• Increasing lung capacity
• Improving CO₂ tolerance
• Enhancing mental control under pressure

But they’re also not for beginners. Holding the breath too long can trigger anxiety, dizziness, or fainting, especially without supervision.

If you’re curious about integrating this into your practice:

• Start with short holds after the exhale (more calming)
• Always stay seated or lying down
• Never practice near bodies of water or while driving

   

Breath holds are like weightlifting for your respiratory system, effective, but not something you max out on without good form and ideally you want to have a spotter.

Advanced breathwork is about deepening your connection to the breath, not pushing the limits. The more you listen to your body, the more powerful the practice becomes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Breathwork is simple by nature, but like any skill, it’s easy to slip into habits that reduce its effectiveness, or even make it feel frustrating or uncomfortable. These are the most common mistakes I see, whether someone’s just starting or has been practising for years.

Catching and correcting these can make your sessions way more impactful.

1. Breathing Through the Mouth

Unless a specific technique calls for it (and very few do), mouth breathing is a big no in most breathwork.

Why it matters:

• Mouth breathing can trigger a mild stress response
• It dries out the airways and reduces oxygen absorption
• It bypasses the natural filtration and warming system of the nose

Breathe through your nose whenever possible, especially on the inhale. It helps calm the nervous system and supports better oxygen exchange.

If nose breathing feels difficult, that’s a signal your breathing muscles (and airways) may need some training, which breathwork can help with over time. So if it is difficult at first, you can improve this over time with consistent practice. 

2. Tensing Up the Shoulders or Jaw

Breathwork is meant to bring ease to your system, not tension.

But many people unconsciously:

• Hike their shoulders with each inhale
• Clench their jaw or furrow their brow
• Grip their breath instead of letting it flow

During your session, pause and ask yourself, “Can I soften my body here?” Let your face, jaw, and shoulders relax.

Your body “tells” your brain how you’re feeling. If you look tense, your brain assumes you’re stressed. Soften your body, and your mind will often follow (and vice versa).

3. Skipping the Exhale or Holding the Breath Too Long

A common mistake is overfocusing on the inhale, as if bringing in air is the only important part. But in reality, the exhale is where the magic really happens.

Exhale is:

• When the heart rate slows
• When the nervous system downshifts
• When we let go of physical and emotional tension

   

Also, holding the breath for too long, especially without training, can lead to dizziness, anxiety, or even fainting.

So, keep it comfortable. Focus just as much on slow, controlled exhales as you do on deep inhales. You’re not trying to win a breath-holding contest. You’re training for clarity, calm, and control.

4. Getting Frustrated or Impatient

Sometimes people say, “I tried breathwork once and it didn’t work.” But breathwork isn’t about instant perfection. It’s a practice, and like anything worthwhile, it takes time to feel natural.

Common signs of impatience:

• Wanting results immediately
• Feeling annoyed by distractions
• Comparing your session to a past experience

   

What to do instead:

• Approach your breath with curiosity, not control
• Let go of “doing it right” and just breathe
• Trust that each session is building internal capacity—even if it doesn’t feel dramatic

   

The breath always meets you where you are. Some days it’ll feel amazing. Other days it’s just maintenance. That’s normal.

Avoiding these common missteps helps you get the most from every breathwork session, and keeps your practice sustainable, enjoyable, and safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everyone comes to breathwork with different goals, experiences, and questions. Whether you’re brand new or refining your practice, it’s totally normal to be curious, or even a little sceptical.

Here are answers to some of the most common questions I get as a coach, with honest insights to help you breathe more confidently and effectively.

“How long until I feel results?”

Most people notice a shift within the first session, especially with calming techniques like 4-7-8 or Extended Exhale. Even a few rounds of slow, mindful breathing can:

• Reduce heart rate
• Ease muscle tension
• Clear mental fog

   

But the real magic happens with consistency. Practising just 5 minutes a day over 1-2 weeks often leads to:

• Better sleep
• More emotional control
• Less reactivity to stress

   

Your nervous system loves rhythm and repetition. Keep showing up and your body will respond.

“Is breathwork safe for everyone?”

Yes, with some simple precautions. Most gentle techniques (like diaphragmatic, Coherent, or Box Breathing) are safe for the vast majority of people. But if you have:

• A history of panic attacks
• Cardiovascular issues
• Respiratory conditions like COPD or severe asthma

…it’s always smart to check in with a healthcare provider before doing intense breathwork or long holds.

Important: Avoid hyperventilation-style breathing or breath holds in water or while driving. Safety first, always.

“What’s the difference between these techniques?”

Each breath pattern is designed with a different effect on the nervous system:

• Box Breathing (4-4-4-4): Balances and grounds you, and is great for focus and performance
• 4-7-8 Breathing: Deeply relaxing, so it is ideal for sleep and anxiety relief
• Coherent Breathing (5-5): Smooth and even, and it is best for emotional regulation and daily calm
• Extended Exhale (4-0-8-0): Soothing effect, and shifts you into rest-and-digest mode
• Diaphragmatic Breathing: Foundational breath pattern that teaches proper breathing mechanics and builds breath control

   

“Can I use this during a panic attack?”

Yes, and it can be incredibly helpful, but we always recommend consulting with your doctor. The key is to keep it simple. During a panic attack, your system is in fight-or-flight mode. You want to focus on:

• Slowing your exhale (try a 4-6 or 4-8 pattern)
• Breathing through your nose
• Focusing on one breath at a time

Avoid breath holds, intense patterns, or fast breathing, they can make things worse in the moment. Think of your breath as your anchor. When your mind is spiralling, your breath reminds you that you’re still in control.”

“Do I need to meditate too?”

Not necessarily, but they pair beautifully.

Breathwork is often more active than meditation. It gives your mind something to focus on, which makes it great for people who struggle with sitting still or quieting the mind.

That said, breathwork can be its own mindfulness practice. It calms the nervous system, builds self-awareness, and increases your ability to stay present, which are the same goals as meditation.

Breath Therapy Tool Conclusion

If there’s one truth I’ve seen hold steady across every client, every athlete, every stressed-out human I’ve coached, it’s this:

Your breath is always with you. It’s your anchor. Your reset button. Your access point to calm, clarity, and control.

We live in a world that moves fast. Stress comes at us from all directions, screens, schedules, and responsibilities. For most people, the nervous system is constantly in overdrive.

But here’s the good news, you’re not powerless. With breathwork, and tools like our Breath Therapy Tool, you now have a way to self-regulate, to come back home to yourself in seconds.

No matter where you are or what’s going on, you’re never more than one breath away from changing your state.

• Overwhelmed? Inhale deeply. Exhale longer. Reset.
• Distracted? Find your rhythm. Let the breath sharpen your focus.
• Tired? Use breath to recharge instead of reaching for more caffeine.
• Angry or anxious? Let the breath give you space to choose your response.

Breath isn’t just a wellness practice, it’s a lifestyle tool. And the more you use it, the more natural it becomes. Like second nature. Like… breathing.

We have a lot of free content available in our content hub, if you want to learn more. You may particularly be interested in our sleep content and our stress management content. We specifically have a lot of content for coaches in our Coaches Corner. If you want even more free information, you can follow us on Instagram, YouTube or listen to the podcast. You can always stay up to date with our latest content by subscribing to our newsletter.

Finally, if you want to learn how to coach nutrition, then consider our Nutrition Coach Certification course, and if you want to learn to get better at exercise program design, then consider our course on exercise program design. We do have other courses available too, and you may be particularly interested in our Sleep Coaching Course and our Stress Management Course. If you don’t understand something, or you just need clarification, you can always reach out to us on Instagram or via email.