Triangle breathing timer (4-4-4)

How to do triangle breathing

1. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds.
2. Hold gently with your lungs full for 4 seconds, shoulders soft.
3. Breathe out slowly for 4 seconds, then go straight into the next breath.
4. Repeat for 3 to 5 minutes.

Some teachers put the hold after the exhale instead. In Breathcharge, tap the hold on the timeline to remove it, then add a hold when empty.

What happens in your body

Slow breathing with a pause. The hold stretches each breath to 12 seconds, well under the 12 to 20 breaths a minute of ordinary breathing. Slow breathing is reliably linked to higher heart-rate variability and feeling more relaxed.

Short holds are easy on the body. During a breath hold your brain's breathing rhythm keeps running, and a reflex makes you breathe again long before it could do harm. Four seconds is well within comfort for most people.

The evidence is indirect. There are no studies of triangle breathing itself. Its close relative, box breathing, improved mood in a month-long study, though not significantly more than mindfulness meditation.

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.

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.