Before you begin
Use the timer only in a safe, settled place.
- Sit, stand, or lie somewhere stable and comfortable.
- Do not use paced breathing while driving, swimming, in water, or operating equipment.
- Let each breath remain ordinary-sized. Slower does not have to mean deeper.
- Choose an uninterrupted pace such as Even or Long exhale if holds feel strained.
Stop signs
Return to natural breathing when your body asks.
Stop the exercise if you feel dizzy, faint, tingling, unusually short of breath, panicky, painful, or otherwise unwell. Sit or lie safely and let your breath return to normal. Finishing the minute is never more important than responding to symptoms.
Do not use this site to assess new or worsening breathlessness. An NHS hospital’s breathlessness guidance advises seeking medical advice when shortness of breath is new or getting worse.
Individual guidance
Some situations deserve a clinician, not a generic count.
Ask a qualified health professional before using deliberate slow breathing or breath holds if you have a respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, or other relevant health condition; if symptoms are unexplained; or if you are unsure whether the exercise is appropriate for you.
The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says relaxation techniques are generally considered safe for healthy people, while also noting that negative experiences can occur and that safety research is limited.