Free somatic tool
The long exhale
The fastest lever you have on your own nervous system is the out-breath. A slow exhale presses the vagal brake: heart rate eases on the way out, and an exhale longer than the inhale tips the balance toward "safe." You don't need an app, an account, or a course — you need a pace to follow for a few minutes. That's all this is.
Nothing tracked: no signup, no data, and silent unless you switch on the sound cue. Just a circle that breathes at the right speed.
The starter pattern — a longer out-breath presses the vagal brake. Good anytime, anywhere.
Breathe through the nose if you can, low into the belly. If counting feels stressful, ignore the numbers and just follow the circle — or switch on the sound cue and close your eyes.
Press Esc to bring everything back.
Take it with you. A one-page practice card with all five patterns, when to reach for each, and the safety notes — made to hand to a client, stick on a fridge, or keep by the bed.
Why the exhale?
Your heart doesn't beat at one speed — it quickens slightly as you inhale and slows as you exhale, a rhythm run by the vagus nerve. Lengthening the exhale leans into the slowing half of that cycle, which is why sighing is what bodies do naturally after stress. Practices from yoga breathing to tactical "box breathing" all exploit the same mechanics. In the one head-to-head trial to date — Stanford, 2023 — five minutes a day of cyclic sighing, two inhales followed by one long exhale, edged out both box breathing and mindfulness meditation at lifting mood and slowing the resting breath. Two or three minutes is enough to feel the shift; a few minutes daily, over weeks, is how the baseline changes.
Breathing practices are broadly safe, but stop if you feel lightheaded, and take it gently if you have respiratory or cardiac conditions or if slow breathing has ever triggered panic — for some trauma histories, breath focus is activating, and that's information, not failure. This tool is psychoeducation, not treatment.
Common questions
How do I use this breathing pacer?
Pick a pattern — the long exhale (in for 4, out for 6) is the default, with cyclic sighing, box breathing, 4-7-8, and coherent breathing one tap away — choose a length (1, 3, or 5 minutes, or open-ended), press Begin, and breathe with the circle: it grows as you inhale and shrinks as you exhale. Breathe through your nose if you can, low into the belly, and if counting feels stressful, ignore the numbers and just follow the circle. If you’d rather close your eyes, switch on the sound cue and let the tone carry the pace.
Which breathing pattern should I choose?
If you’re not sure, start with the long exhale — it’s gentle and works anytime. Cyclic sighing (two inhales, then one long sighing exhale) had the strongest results in Stanford’s 2023 head-to-head trial, where five minutes a day improved mood more than box breathing or mindfulness meditation. Box breathing suits moments when you need to stay steady and clear; 4-7-8 is a favorite for falling asleep; coherent breathing, at about five and a half breaths a minute, is the pace used in heart-rate-variability training. They all lean on the same vagal mechanics — the best pattern is the one you’ll actually practice.
Why is the exhale longer than the inhale?
Your heart quickens slightly as you inhale and slows as you exhale, a rhythm run by the vagus nerve. Making the exhale longer than the inhale leans into the slowing half of that cycle — it presses the vagal brake and tips your nervous system toward “safe.” It’s the same mechanic behind the sigh your body produces naturally after stress.
Is anything I do here tracked?
No. Everything runs in your browser — there’s no signup, no account, and nothing is sent or stored anywhere. The timer and breath count exist only on your screen and disappear when you leave the page. Even the optional sound cue is generated inside your browser, not loaded from a server.
Can a breathing exercise treat anxiety?
It can help you settle in the moment, and a few minutes daily over weeks can shift your baseline — but it’s psychoeducation, not treatment, and it isn’t a substitute for therapy. Stop if you feel lightheaded, and go gently if you have respiratory or cardiac conditions or if slow breathing has ever triggered panic; for some trauma histories, breath focus is activating, and that’s information, not failure.
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