Breath Pacer
Follow an animated circle that expands and contracts to guide your breath. Choose box breathing (4-4-4-4), the 4-7-8 relaxation pattern, or calm focus (5-2-7), with optional alpha-frequency binaural beats to deepen the effect.
Free · No signup · Runs in your browser · Nothing is stored
How it works
- 1Pick a breathing pattern: box, 4-7-8, or calm focus.
- 2Breathe in as the circle grows, hold, and exhale as it shrinks.
- 3Optionally enable 10 Hz alpha binaural beats through headphones.
- 4Continue for a few cycles until your breathing settles.
Benefits
- Activates the parasympathetic “rest and focus” response
- Lowers stress and physiological arousal in minutes
- Steadies attention before demanding work
- Three evidence-based patterns to choose from
The science
Slow, paced breathing increases heart-rate variability and engages the parasympathetic nervous system. Patterns like box breathing and 4-7-8 are widely used for stress reduction and focus.
Frequently asked questions
What is box breathing?⌄
Box breathing is a four-part pattern — inhale, hold, exhale, hold — each for an equal count (commonly four seconds). It is used by athletes and the military to stay calm under pressure.
What is the 4-7-8 technique?⌄
You inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, and exhale for 8. The long exhale strongly engages the relaxation response, making it popular for winding down.