Coherent Breathing (Resonance Breathing) is smooth, even breathing at about six breaths per minute, roughly 5 seconds in and 5 seconds out. Breathing around six breaths a minute is one of the best-studied ways to raise heart-rate variability, a marker of relaxation.
How do you do Coherent Breathing?
- Breathe in through your nose, smoothly.
- Breathe out at the same even pace.
- No pauses. Let each breath roll into the next.
The rhythm
In 5sOut 5s
The default rhythm is the gentlest standard one; the app also offers 4 · 4 or 6 · 6.
What does the research say?
Breathing around six breaths a minute is one of the best-studied ways to raise heart-rate variability, a marker of relaxation.
Evidence grade A · Well studied: Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials support the main outcome. Grades describe evidence for feeling calmer, more alert or more focused, never a claim about treating a condition.
Sources
- Lehrer et al. 2000, Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback 25:177
- Lehrer & Gevirtz 2014, Frontiers in Psychology 5:756
- Laborde et al. 2022, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 138:104711
Who should take care with Coherent Breathing?
Before a session the app shows a short caution when it applies:
- With COPD or another lung condition: If 5 seconds feels long, use 4.
Oxigen is a wellness app, not a medical device. It does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition. If you have a health condition or are pregnant, talk to your doctor before starting, and keep following your care plan.
How Oxigen guides Coherent Breathing
- Rhythms: 5 · 5, 4 · 4 or 6 · 6 seconds.
- Session length: 3, 6, 10 or 15 minutes.
- Free, with no subscription.
- An orb, a rhythm ring, haptics and optional sound guide each breath, with “I feel unwell” always on screen.
Similar balancing techniques
Updated November 8, 2026. Copy reviewed against Oxigen’s claims policy and technique reference.