Breathcharge
Ready
Press Start or Space
Ready

One breath · tap a part to change it

Space start / pause Esc stop F focus P float T theme

How 2-to-1 breathing works ↓

Long exhale · 4 in · 8 out

2-to-1 breathing timer

By Simon Inges · Last reviewed against the sources below

In 2-to-1 breathing, each exhale lasts twice as long as the inhale. The timer above uses 4 seconds in and 8 seconds out, five breaths a minute. It's one of the simplest ways to slow down and let go of tension, and it's the ratio at the heart of many relaxation practices.

Start 2-to-1 breathing

How to do 2-to-1 breathing

  1. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds.
  2. Breathe out for 8 seconds, slowly and evenly, as if fogging a mirror or through pursed lips.
  3. Don't squeeze. If you run out of air before 8, shorten both sides: 3 in, 6 out keeps the ratio.
  4. Continue for 3 to 10 minutes.

What happens in your body

Lung volume during one breath of 2-to-1 breathingOver 12 seconds: a 4-second inhale, then an 8-second exhale that empties the lungs slowly. full empty Lung volume during one breath of 2-to-1 breathing in 4 s out 8 s 12 s per breath · 5 breaths/min
One 2-to-1 breath: the exhale takes two thirds of the time, at five breaths a minute.

More time on the slowing side. Your heart speeds up a little as you breathe in and slows as you breathe out, a normal rhythm called respiratory sinus arrhythmia. With a 2-to-1 ratio, two thirds of every breath is spent on the slowing side.

Equal, 4-6, 2-to-1 and 7-11 breathing on one time scaleFour bars. Equal breathing splits 8 seconds evenly. 4-6, 2-to-1 and 7-11 give progressively more time to the exhale. 0 s 5 s 10 s 15 s 20 s Equal 7.5/min 4-6 6/min 2-to-1 5/min 7-11 3.3/min

Inhale (and top-up)HoldExhale

From equal breathing to 7-11: the further down, the more of each breath goes to the exhale.

What the studies show. In a 30-person experiment at six breaths a minute, a long exhale (about 30% in, 70% out, close to 2-to-1) felt more relaxing than a long inhale and raised a vagal marker of heart-rate variability more. A lab study of a stressful task found that prolonged-exhale breathing led to better performance than tactical breathing. These are small studies, so expect a gentle effect, not a switch.

Want the bigger picture? Read how breathing affects your body and mind: the heart, the nervous system, blood pressure and mood, with illustrations and 20+ studies.

Keep exploring

Breathing safely

The slow patterns here are gentle, but holds and deep inhales can make you light-headed. Stop and breathe normally if you feel dizzy. Never practise breath holds in or near water, or while driving. If you are pregnant, or have a heart, lung or seizure condition or panic disorder, check with a clinician first. Breathing exercises can complement medical care but don't replace it.

Free 2-to-1 breathing GIF and video

One breath of 2-to-1 breathing, looping. Share it, put it in a slide or a post, or play it on a big screen in class.

Download GIF (1.4 MB) Download MP4 (0.2 MB)

Free to use on websites, in classes and on social media under CC BY 4.0. Please credit with a link to this page:

<a href="https://breathcharge.com/2-to-1-breathing">2-to-1 breathing timer</a> by Breathcharge

Questions

What is 2-to-1 breathing?

A breathing pattern where the exhale lasts twice as long as the inhale, for example 4 seconds in and 8 seconds out.

Why is a longer exhale relaxing?

Heart rate naturally slows during each out-breath. Giving the exhale more time tips each breath towards slowing, and experiments show it feels more relaxing than an even or long-inhale breath.

What if I can't exhale for 8 seconds?

Keep the ratio and shorten both sides, for example 3 in and 6 out, or 2 in and 4 out. In Breathcharge, turn on "Keep the ratio" and change one number.

Is 2-to-1 breathing the same as 4-7-8?

Both have an exhale twice the inhale, but 4-7-8 adds a 7-second hold. 2-to-1 breathing has no holds, so many people find it easier.

Sources