Design and pace your own tailored breathwork cadence. Adjust inhalation, retention (kumbhaka), exhalation, and empty suspension intervals with millisecond accuracy and zero distractions.
Control the timer effortlessly hands-free:
In classical Pranayama and modern respiratory physiology, voluntary breath control centers around manipulating the four phases of respiration: Puraka (inhalation), Antara Kumbhaka (full retention), Rechaka (exhalation), and Bahya Kumbhaka (empty suspension).
Extending inhalation relative to exhalation stimulates sympathetic alertness and elevates cardiac output. Conversely, extending exhalation triggers pulmonary stretch receptors that stimulate the vagus nerve, immediately decelerating sinoatrial node firing and lowering systemic arterial blood pressure.
Introducing retention phases temporarily raises arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), gently expanding cerebral blood vessels and improving cellular oxygen release via the Bohr effect. With a custom timer, you can dial in the exact ratio that matches your physiological goals.
Not sure where to start? Try these clinically validated and traditional breathing formulas on your custom timer:
| Formula Name | Ratio (In-Hold-Out-Hold) | Nervous System Effect | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formula Name Equal Breathing (Sama Vritti) | Ratio (In-Hold-Out-Hold) 5s – 0s – 5s – 0s | Nervous System Effect Cardiorespiratory resonance | Best Used For Daily desk work, sustained focus & emotional stability |
| Formula Name Triangle Breathing | Ratio (In-Hold-Out-Hold) 4s – 4s – 4s – 0s | Nervous System Effect Parasympathetic activation | Best Used For Acute anxiety braking, calming racing thoughts |
| Formula Name Yogic 1:4:2 Ratio | Ratio (In-Hold-Out-Hold) 4s – 16s – 8s – 0s | Nervous System Effect Advanced CO2 tolerance & deep stillness | Best Used For Pranayama mastery, meditation preparation |
| Formula Name Prolonged Exhale | Ratio (In-Hold-Out-Hold) 3s – 0s – 6s – 0s | Nervous System Effect Rapid heart rate reduction | Best Used For De-escalating fight-or-flight spikes and high blood pressure |
| Formula Name Extended Box | Ratio (In-Hold-Out-Hold) 6s – 6s – 6s – 6s | Nervous System Effect High autonomic discipline | Best Used For Elite athletic conditioning, tactical composure |
Explore clinically validated preset patterns for rapid sleep, focus, or heart rate variability.
Most breathwork apps place custom interval adjustments behind expensive recurring subscriptions and force you to listen to pre-recorded voice tracks. oTimers provides a completely free, precision hardware timer loop (performance.now()) that runs 100% in your browser. Whether you need a 1:4:2 Pranayama cadence or a high-tempo athletic recovery cycle, you have complete control with zero popups, tracking, or battery drain.
Visit oStopwatch.com → for a lightweight, free, and fast online stopwatch.
Start conservatively. Never force a breath hold to the point of gasping, chest tightness, or dizziness. Beginners should begin with 2 to 4 second holds before progressing to longer retentions like 6 or 8 seconds. If practicing empty holds (after exhalation), keep them brief.
Yes. Simply set the inhale to 4 seconds, the full hold to 16 seconds, and the exhale to 8 seconds (with empty hold at 0). You can scale this formula to any baseline capacity (e.g. 3-12-6 or 5-20-10).
Yes. Whenever you save a pattern, your interval numbers and visual preference are automatically remembered in your device's browser local storage. You do not need to log in or re-enter your timing on subsequent visits.
If your pattern includes breath holds (retention or suspension), the Square visualizer is ideal because each of the four sides represents a distinct phase. If your pattern is continuous without holds (such as 5s in, 5s out), the expanding Orb provides a softer, organic flow.
Yes. oTimers runs completely in your browser using standard HTML5 and Web Audio API synthesis without external video streams or audio files. Once loaded, you can practice your custom routine on airplanes, in subways, or in remote outdoor settings without an internet connection.