How do I do the 4-4-4-4 method?

Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, then hold for 4, and repeat. This timer paces all four phases for you and animates a square so you can follow without counting.

Can I change the timing?

Yes. Choose 3, 4, 5 or 6 seconds per phase to make the rhythm shorter or longer to suit your comfort. Four seconds is the classic box.

How long should a box breathing session be?

A few minutes is common. The timer counts each completed cycle, so you can aim for a set number of cycles — for example five or ten — and stop whenever you feel calm.

When is box breathing useful?

It is often used before stressful events, to wind down, or to refocus. Because it slows and regulates the breath, many people find it steadies the nervous system.

Does this collect any health or breathing data?

No. The timer simply paces the phases in your browser. It does not measure, record or upload any breathing or health data — nothing leaves your device.

Box Breathing Timer — Gera Tools

Q: What is box breathing?

Box breathing, or square breathing, is a calming technique that splits each breath into four equal phases — inhale, hold, exhale, hold — usually four seconds each. It is widely used to reduce stress and steady focus.

A guided box breathing timer

Box breathing divides each breath into four equal phases — inhale, hold, exhale, hold — to slow the breath and calm the mind. This timer paces you through the rhythm with a clear prompt and an animated square that expands as you breathe in and contracts as you breathe out.

How it works

You pick the seconds per phase (3, 4, 5 or 6). When you press Start, the timer counts down each phase and automatically advances to the next: Breathe in → Hold → Breathe out → Hold, then loops. Each time it returns to the first phase it counts one completed cycle. The square scales smoothly over your chosen duration so you can follow the pace by eye instead of counting.

Example

With the classic 4-second setting, one full cycle takes 16 seconds:

Phase	Action	Seconds
1	Breathe in	4
2	Hold	4
3	Breathe out	4
4	Hold	4

Ten cycles is about 2 minutes 40 seconds. The timer runs entirely in your browser and records nothing — no breathing or health data is collected or uploaded.