Box breathing and 4-7-8 breathing timer: free, no sign-up

Stop and breathe normally if you feel dizzy or uncomfortable. Breathing exercises can help you relax; they aren’t a treatment. If you’re pregnant or have a heart or lung condition, ask your doctor which patterns suit you.

Press the space bar to start or pause. Your pattern and length are remembered in this browser.

How to use it

Follow the flower.

Sit or lie down somewhere comfortable. When you press Start, the flower begins small. As it opens, breathe in. While it stays still, hold. As it closes, breathe out. The number under it counts down the seconds left in each step, and the ring shows how far through the step you are.

You can turn on a soft chime, or vibration on an Android phone, to mark each change, so you can close your eyes. Neither is on unless you choose it.

The patterns

Four patterns.

Box breathing: in 4 · hold 4 · out 4 · hold 4 Four equal steps, like the sides of a box. The timer starts here.
4-7-8 breathing: in 4 · hold 7 · out 8 A long hold and a longer breath out. Many people use it before sleep.
Slow breathing: in 5 · out 5 About six breaths a minute, with no holds. The gentlest of the four.
Physiological sigh: in · in again · long out Two short breaths in through the nose, then one long breath out. Choose one to three rounds.

Questions

Questions about the timer.

Is the breathing timer free?

Yes. It’s free, needs no sign-up and no app, and works in your browser.

Is the breathing timer part of the Kinsu app?

No. It’s a free tool on this website. The Kinsu app is for medicine reminders, readings and your family’s medical records.

Which pattern should I start with?

Slow breathing is the gentlest: it has no holds. Box and 4-7-8 breathing add holds. Stop and breathe normally if any pattern feels uncomfortable.

Does the timer keep anything about me?

It remembers your last pattern and length in this browser, so they’re ready next time, and asks for nothing about you.