Box Breathing Timer

Box breathing uses four equal counts, inhale, hold, exhale, hold, often used to help calm down quickly.

Equal counts in, hold, out, hold.

Press Start and follow the circle

Session length 02:08

About this tool

Box breathing is a simple, widely used pacing technique: breathe in for four, hold for four, breathe out for four and hold for four. This guided Box Breathing tool does the counting for you, so you can close your eyes and follow the rhythm instead of watching a clock. A clear on-screen cue shows each phase, and the steady 4-4-4-4 pattern makes it easy to settle into a routine before a meeting, an exam, a presentation or bedtime. You can run it for a couple of minutes or keep going as long as you like, and the fullscreen option removes distractions. It is a relaxation aid only, not a medical tool or medical advice. Want a quiet pause with a clear end point? Start the 5 Minute Break Timer and breathe until the chime. If you are winding down for the night, the Sleep Cycle Calculator suggests bedtimes aligned to 90-minute cycles. For a visual cue that fades with time, try the Visual Timer, and between focused work blocks the Pomodoro Timer fits calm moments into your day. Find more routines in the Wellness category.

What is box breathing?

What is box breathing? Box breathing is a technique of inhaling, holding, exhaling and holding again, each for an equal count (commonly 4 seconds each), sometimes used by athletes, military personnel and in general stress-reduction practice to help calm the nervous system.

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