Why one minute is enough to start

Breathing exercises are often presented as 10- or 20-minute practices, which is exactly why many people never do them. A minute is different. It fits between two emails, before opening an app, or in a queue. And a minute you actually take is worth more than a session you keep postponing.

There is also some encouraging research on very short practices. In a one-month study published in Cell Reports Medicine, Balban and colleagues compared five minutes a day of different breathing exercises with mindfulness meditation; cyclic sighing, which repeats the physiological sigh, improved mood more than meditation did. Five minutes is not one, and this is not a medical claim, but it does suggest that small, regular doses of slow breathing are worth taking seriously.

A simple safety note: breathe gently, never force a hold, and stop if you feel light-headed. If you have a respiratory or heart condition, ask a professional which exercises suit you.

The seven exercises

1. The physiological sigh (about 30 seconds)

Two quick inhales through the nose, the second one topping up the first, then one long, slow exhale through the mouth. Repeat three times. It is one of the quickest calm Moves in the library, and it looks like ordinary breathing. Try it: physiological sigh.

2. Box breathing, 4-4-4-4 (64 seconds)

Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, hold for 4. Four rounds make 64 seconds. The even rhythm is easy to remember and gives your attention something to follow. If the holds feel long, shorten them to 2 seconds. Try it: box breathing.

3. 4-7-8 breathing (under a minute)

Breathe in quietly through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 7, then breathe out through your mouth for 8. Three rounds. The technique was popularised by Dr Andrew Weil, and the long exhale makes it a favourite for evenings. Count faster if the full rhythm is too long: the ratio matters more than the seconds. Try it: 4-7-8 breathing.

4. Coherent breathing, 5-5 (1 minute)

Breathe in for 5 seconds and out for 5 seconds: about six breaths a minute. Researchers such as Lehrer and Gevirtz describe breathing near six breaths a minute as "resonance frequency" breathing, usually practised for several minutes; in French-speaking countries it is widely known as cohérence cardiaque. The one-minute version is a short taste. Try it: coherent breathing.

5. The 60-second body scan

Close your eyes and move your attention slowly from your feet to your face: feet, legs, belly, chest, shoulders, jaw. Breathe normally and just notice. It is the breathing family's mini meditation. Try it: body scan.

6. Just sit for 30 seconds

Put your phone face down and do nothing at all for 30 seconds. No technique, no counting. It sounds too simple, and it is surprisingly hard, which is exactly why it works as a pause. Try it: just sit.

7. Humming breath, or bee breath (30 seconds)

Breathe in through your nose, then hum softly as you breathe out, like a bee. In yoga it is called bhramari. The gentle buzz gives your mind something to hold on to. In a shared space, hum very quietly. Try it: humming breath.

Bonus: 5-4-3-2-1 grounding

Not a breathing technique, but a close cousin for anxious moments: name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell and 1 you taste. It pulls your attention back into the room. Try it: 5-4-3-2-1 grounding.

Which one when?

  • Stressed, right now: the physiological sigh. Thirty seconds, anywhere.
  • Need focus: box breathing. The rhythm is steadying.
  • In bed: 4-7-8 breathing or the body scan. Our guide to stopping scrolling in bed builds an evening routine around them.
  • Restless, bored or on autopilot: just sit, or an intention check first. See why you keep opening apps.
  • Want to end the day well: pair a breath with a line of gratitude; our one-line gratitude journal guide explains how.

Breathing before you scroll

The moment right before you open a feed is a great time for a minute of breathing. The urge is there, your thumb is moving, and a slow exhale turns autopilot back into a choice. That is how MiniMove uses these seven exercises: when you tap a guarded app, a Breathe Move can be the thing you do first. Three of them (box breathing, the physiological sigh and the body scan) are part of the free version.

one sec, another app in this space, also puts a breathing pause in front of apps; the difference is what happens next. We compare both honestly in MiniMove vs one sec.

Sources

  • Balban, M. Y., et al. (2023). Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 4(1). doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895
  • Lehrer, P. M., and Gevirtz, R. (2014). Heart rate variability biofeedback: how and why does it work? Frontiers in Psychology, 5. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00756
  • Weil, A. "Breathing exercises: 4-7-8 breath". drweil.com