Coherent breathing: the guided exercise

Coherent breathing means breathing slowly and evenly at about six breaths a minute: in for 5 seconds, out for 5 seconds, usually for 5 minutes. It’s also called resonance breathing, and in France it’s known as cardiac coherence. The animated pacer below keeps the rhythm for you. It’s free, with no sign-up and nothing to install.

Guided exercise

In for 5 s · out for 5 s

StartStopClose Restart

Length: 1 minLength: 3 minLength: 5 min

How to do coherent breathing, step by step

You don’t need a sensor or a special device, just a steady rhythm. If you’d rather not follow an animation, here are the same instructions in writing.

Get comfortable. Sit upright without stiffening, feet flat, shoulders loose. Standing or lying down works too.
Breathe in for 5 seconds. Through your nose if that’s comfortable, letting your belly rise gently. There’s no need to fill your lungs to the top.
Breathe out for 5 seconds. Let the air flow out without pushing, through your nose or slightly parted lips.
Keep going without pausing. No breath holds in between: that’s 6 breaths a minute, or 30 breaths in 5 minutes.
Keep it easy. Full but not forced. If you feel lightheaded or your fingers tingle, breathe more shallowly or go back to your normal breathing for a moment.
Ease out of it. Take a breath or two at your usual pace before getting back to what you were doing.

The 365 method: 3 times a day, 6 breaths a minute, 5 minutes

In France, coherent breathing is usually taught as the “365 rule,” popularized by Dr. David O’Hare in his book Cohérence cardiaque 365 (Thierry Souccar, 2012). The cover sums it up in one line: three times a day, six breaths a minute, five minutes. The number also hints at daily practice, every day of the year.

Pace: 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out
Rate: 6 breaths a minute (0.1 Hz)
Length: 5 minutes, or 30 breaths
How often: 3 times a day in the 365 method, whenever suits you
Equipment: None: a clock, or the pacer on this page

Pick your own three moments, for example when you wake up, at lunch and in the late afternoon. Sticking with it matters more than the exact time. You’ll often read that the effect of one session “lasts four to six hours.” We couldn’t find a study that measured this, so we don’t repeat it as fact.

Why 6 breaths a minute?

Your heart doesn’t beat like a metronome. The time between beats keeps changing, and that’s called heart rate variability, or HRV. Part of that variation follows your breath: your heart rate rises a little as you breathe in and falls as you breathe out. This is known as respiratory sinus arrhythmia.

In a 2014 review, researchers Paul Lehrer and Richard Gevirtz explain that these swings are largest when people breathe at about 0.1 Hz, roughly six breaths a minute. The best-supported explanation involves the baroreflex: pressure sensors in the aorta and the carotid arteries adjust your heart rate, and that feedback loop falls into step, or resonance, with your breathing.

Six a minute is an average, not a magic number. According to a practical guide by Fred Shaffer and Zachary Meehan (2020), adults’ resonance frequency ranges from 4.5 to 6.5 breaths a minute, and it tends to be lower in taller people. If 5 seconds feels long at first, shorten it a little: a slow, comfortable pace beats a precise, strained one.

Coherent breathing benefits: what the research actually shows

Plenty of pages promise the moon. Here’s what studies have actually observed, along with their limits.

A clear effect on heart rate variability, mostly while you practice

A large meta-analysis (Laborde and colleagues, 2022) pooled 223 studies of voluntary slow breathing, most often around six breaths a minute. It found increases in the HRV measures linked to the vagus nerve during a session (a medium effect), right after a single session, and after programs lasting several weeks (smaller effects). The authors themselves point out that most of the included studies had a high risk of bias, and that very few side effects were reported, such as mild lightheadedness.

Encouraging reports on how people feel, from studies that are still thin

A systematic review (Zaccaro and colleagues, 2018) included 15 studies of healthy people breathing at fewer than 10 breaths a minute. They describe more comfort, relaxation and alertness, and less anxiety, anger and confusion. But the samples were small, the methods varied widely, and the authors couldn’t pool the results.

On stress, a 2017 meta-analysis (Goessl and colleagues) brought together 24 studies and 484 people who trained with HRV biofeedback, meaning slow breathing guided by a heart rate sensor. It found a large drop in self-reported stress and anxiety, while noting that more rigorous trials are needed. Keep in mind this was device-guided training, not simply breathing along with an animation. More broadly, a meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials of breathwork (Fincham and colleagues, 2023, 785 adults) found a small-to-medium effect on perceived stress.

One session isn’t a magic switch

In a 2025 study of 84 college students (Marchant and colleagues), breathing at 6 breaths a minute raised HRV more than box breathing or 4-7-8 breathing, but none of the breathing patterns tested meaningfully changed blood pressure or mood after a single session. Participants also tended to overbreathe slightly at 6 a minute.

Bottom line: coherent breathing reliably shifts your heart rate variability while you’re doing it. For stress, anxiety or sleep, the results are promising but come from studies of uneven quality. It’s a simple way to take a break, not a remedy, and it doesn’t replace medical advice.

Who it’s for, including kids

Coherent breathing suits most adults who want a calm moment without any gear: before a meeting, after a long day, or in the evening to switch off. You can do it eyes open or closed, in silence or with music.

For children and teens, the evidence is thinner. A 2021 review (Dormal and colleagues) found 18 studies of HRV biofeedback in young people, nearly all positive, but often small and rarely randomized. Kids also have a faster resonance frequency than adults: 6.5 to 9.5 breaths a minute, according to Shaffer and Meehan. So for a child, choose a slightly quicker pace, such as 4 seconds in and 4 seconds out, for a minute or two, as a game rather than a chore.

Safety tips

Don’t force the depth. Breathing too deeply lowers the carbon dioxide in your blood, which can cause lightheadedness or tingling around your mouth or in your hands. If that happens, breathe more gently or take a break.
Notice how you feel. Relaxation techniques are generally considered safe for healthy people, but they occasionally increase anxiety or bring on intrusive thoughts. If that happens, stop and talk to a professional.
Check with your doctor before daily practice if you have a heart, lung or metabolic condition.

Selfia is not a medical device. If you’re struggling or thinking about suicide, help is available: in the US, call or text 988; in the UK and Ireland, call Samaritans on 116 123; anywhere else, find a local line at findahelpline.com.

Frequently asked questions

How many times a day should I do coherent breathing?

The 365 method suggests three 5-minute sessions a day. That’s a guideline, not a medical rule. A single session already shifts your heart rate variability while you practice, and studies of programs lasting several weeks report smaller but real effects. One session a day that you keep up beats three a day that you drop after a week.

Can I do coherent breathing before bed?

Yes. In a 2019 study, 64 young adults who already slept well breathed at about six breaths a minute for 15 minutes every evening for 30 days. Their self-reported sleep quality improved slightly, with no change in the comparison group. For bedtime, you can also try our breathing exercise for sleep, which uses a longer exhale.

Is coherent breathing OK for kids?

Yes, in an adapted form. Children naturally breathe faster, so 4 seconds in and 4 seconds out suits them better than 5 and 5. A minute or two is plenty, framed as a game. Studies in children are still few and small, so if your child has an anxiety disorder or a health condition, talk to their doctor first.

Is coherent breathing free?

Yes. All you need is to count to five or follow a visual cue. The animated pacer on this page is free, with no sign-up and no ads, and it runs right in your browser. HRV biofeedback devices that track your heart rate exist and can be useful with a professional, but you don’t need one to practice.

What’s a good app for coherent breathing?

Any visual guide that gives you a steady rhythm works, including this page. In the Selfia app, free on Android, the animated meditation offers gentle yoga and breathing sessions guided on screen, with no voice: the instructions appear and you keep your own music, or the silence. The app doesn’t replace medical advice.