AiGovMap
Haptic Calm breathing guide
Every breathing method has its own rhythm and its own moment. Here are the seven that Haptic Calm guides, side by side, with a step-by-step guide for five of them.
| Method | Rhythm (seconds) | Pace | Good moment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steady breathing | in 4 · out 4 | 7.5 a minute | Anytime — start here |
| Box breathing | in 4 · hold 4 · out 4 · hold 4 | 3.8 a minute | Before a talk or an exam |
| Physiological sigh | in 2 + top-up 1 · out 6 | 6.7 a minute | Fastest when your heart races |
| 4-7-8 Pro | in 4 · hold 7 · out 8 | 3.2 a minute | When you can't sleep |
| Resonant breathing Pro | in 5.5 · out 5.5 | 5.5 a minute | 5.5 a minute, the most relaxing for many |
| Longer exhale Pro | in 4 · out 6 | 6 a minute | To slow yourself down |
| Your own rhythm Pro | you choose | In and out 2–10 s, holds 0–10 s |
Your heart is racing right now
Two breaths in, one long breath out. One to three sighs, or Calm now in the app.
Before a talk, an exam or a hard conversation
Four equal parts give a busy mind one simple thing to follow.
In bed and can’t switch off
4-7-8 and a longer exhale both make the out-breath longer than the in-breath. A longer exhale has no hold, so it is gentler.
A few minutes of practice every day
About 5.5 breaths a minute for 5 to 10 minutes, slow and even.
You have never done this before
In 4, out 4, no holds. Start here, then try the others.
Good to know
There is no single best one. In a one-month Stanford study, five minutes a day of a breathing exercise or of mindfulness meditation both improved mood and eased anxiety, and the breathing exercises lifted mood more than meditation did, cyclic sighing (repeated physiological sighs) most of all. Pick the one you will actually practice. These are relaxation exercises, not a treatment for an anxiety disorder.
Many people use 4-7-8 or a longer exhale at bedtime, because both make the out-breath longer than the in-breath. Studies so far have measured things like heart rate and blood pressure rather than sleep itself, so treat them as a way to wind down, not as a sleep treatment.
Steady breathing: in for 4 seconds, out for 4, with no holds. When that feels easy, try box breathing or a longer exhale.
Studies of slow breathing usually mean fewer than about 10 breaths a minute. Resonant breathing is about 5.5 a minute, a longer exhale of 4 seconds in and 6 out is 6 a minute, and 4-7-8 is about 3.
Yes. Haptic Calm guides every method by vibration: it grows while you breathe in, fades while you breathe out and taps once a second during a hold. Steady breathing, box breathing and the physiological sigh are free; 4-7-8, resonant breathing, longer exhale and your own rhythm are part of Pro.
Written by the developer of Haptic Calm from the studies below and from how the app guides each method. It describes an everyday relaxation exercise, not a treatment.
Every method is guided by vibration, so your eyes can stay closed. Steady breathing, box breathing and the physiological sigh are free; 4-7-8, resonant breathing, longer exhale and your own rhythm come with Pro. Haptic Calm 2.0, which adds the breathing methods, is coming soon as a free update.
Download on the App Store