Free timer with visual guide + audio cues
| Box Breathing | Coherence Breathing | |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | 4-4-4-4 | 5.5-5.5 |
| Best For | Acute stress, focus under pressure, tactical breathing | Daily practice, HRV optimization, chronic stress management |
| Mechanism | Hold phases create controlled CO2 buildup for enhanced calm | Equal rhythm at 5.5 BPM maximizes heart rate variability |
Box breathing is your acute tool — use it when you need calm fast. Coherence breathing is your daily practice — use it for long-term nervous system health. Most people benefit from having both in their toolkit.
Which is better for daily practice?
Coherence breathing. Its simple two-phase rhythm is more sustainable for 10-20 minute sessions. Box breathing is better as a short intervention (2-5 minutes) rather than an extended practice.
Which improves HRV more?
Coherence breathing targets HRV directly by matching the cardiovascular resonance frequency. Box breathing improves HRV but isn't specifically optimized for it.