Huberman Lab Breathing Protocols
Practice every breathing technique from the podcast — free guided timer, no app required
Dr. Andrew Huberman has covered breathing protocols more extensively than any other neuroscience communicator — from the Physiological Sigh for real-time stress control to Cyclic Hyperventilation for deliberate adrenaline release. The science is clear, but the gap has always been practice: knowing what to do is different from actually doing it with correct timing.
This tool closes that gap. Every protocol discussed on the Huberman Lab podcast is built in with the correct inhale, hold, and exhale ratios. Visual pacing guides your breath in real time. Audio cues keep you on rhythm without watching the screen. Pick a technique, set a duration, and follow along.
No app to download. No account to create. No subscription. Just open it in your browser and breathe.
Built by a listener in San Francisco. Every protocol follows the exact timing and ratios discussed on the podcast, backed by the peer-reviewed research cited in each episode. Completely free — no account, no ads, no data collection.
The Protocols
Double inhale through the nose, extended exhale through the mouth. The fastest real-time stress reduction tool in the neuroscience literature. One cycle takes ~8 seconds. Repeated for 5 minutes (cyclic sighing), it outperformed mindfulness meditation for mood improvement in the 2023 Stanford study.
Referenced in: Episode 54 (Tools for Managing Stress), Episode 94, AMA episodes
Equal inhale, hold, exhale, hold — each 4 seconds. Creates balanced autonomic tone for calm focus. Used by Navy SEALs and recommended by Huberman for pre-performance and sustained concentration. The hold phases build CO2 tolerance over time.
Referenced in: Episode 54, Episode 94 (Optimize & Control Your Brain Chemistry)
Deliberate over-breathing — deep inhales, short passive exhales, repeated for 25-30 cycles followed by a breath hold. Produces controlled adrenaline release for alertness and cold tolerance. Similar to Wim Hof breathing. Huberman covers the mechanism: voluntary hyperventilation → alkalosis → sympathetic activation.
Referenced in: Episode 1 (How Your Nervous System Works), cold exposure episodes
Breathing at approximately 5.5 seconds in, 5.5 seconds out — the resonance frequency for most adults. Maximizes heart rate variability and puts the autonomic nervous system in its most flexible state. Huberman discusses this as the "default" breathing practice for daily nervous system maintenance.
Referenced in: Multiple episodes on HRV and autonomic regulation
Inhale 4 seconds, hold 7 seconds, exhale 8 seconds. Extended exhale ratio drives strong parasympathetic activation. Huberman references this for sleep onset and deep relaxation — the long hold and exhale phases maximize CO2 buildup, which triggers the calming response.
Referenced in: Sleep toolkit episodes, AMA episodes on anxiety
Which Protocol Should You Use?
- Acute stress or panic: Physiological Sigh — even 1-3 cycles works in real time
- Daily mood and resilience: Cyclic Sighing for 5 minutes — the protocol from the Stanford study
- Focus and pre-performance: Box Breathing for 3-5 minutes before deep work or competition
- Alertness and energy: Cyclic Hyperventilation for 2-3 minutes — deliberate adrenaline
- Sleep onset: 4-7-8 Breathing for 5-10 minutes before bed
- Nervous system maintenance: Coherence Breathing for 5-10 minutes daily
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Physiological Sigh?
A double inhale through the nose followed by an extended exhale through the mouth. Dr. Huberman popularized this technique from neuroscience research showing it's the fastest known way to reduce stress in real time. A single cycle takes about 8 seconds. It works by reinflating collapsed alveoli on the second inhale, then maximizing CO2 offload on the long exhale, rapidly shifting the nervous system toward calm.
Which breathing protocol does Huberman recommend most?
It depends on the goal. For acute stress: Physiological Sigh. For sustained calm: Cyclic Sighing for 5 minutes. For alertness: Cyclic Hyperventilation. For daily maintenance: Coherence Breathing at 5.5 breaths per minute. The best protocol is the one matched to your current state and what you need.
How long should I practice?
Five minutes daily produces measurable improvements in HRV, mood, and anxiety based on the research discussed on the podcast. For acute use — panic, pre-performance — even 1-3 cycles of the Physiological Sigh produce immediate effects.
Is this tool free?
Completely free. No account, no app download, no ads, no data collection. It runs in your browser on any device and works offline once loaded.
More Protocols
Breathwork by Goal