Breathing Timer
A guided breathing pacer — cyclic sighing, 4-7-8, or box breathing — to steady your nervous system in a few minutes.
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Use headphones or turn cues off in a shared space. Session count is saved in your browser only.
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Breathing is the best-evidenced reset
Of everything in the trading-psychology toolkit, paced breathing has the strongest science behind it. A 2023 Stanford trial found five minutes a day of cyclic sighing — a normal inhale, a short second inhale, then a long, slow exhale — improved mood and lowered resting arousal more than mindfulness meditation or box breathing. The mechanism is simple: a long exhale shifts your nervous system toward its “rest” branch. Use it before a session to settle, or after a loss to break the fight-or-flight loop before you trade again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which pattern should I use?
Start with cyclic sighing — it has the strongest evidence for lowering arousal fast. Use 4-7-8 to wind down before or after a session, and box breathing when you want steady, alert focus.
How long should I go?
Even a minute helps; about five minutes is where the research sees clear mood and arousal benefits. Do it daily, not only in a crisis.
Is this medical advice?
No — it is educational. Paced breathing is safe for most people, but if you feel dizzy, stop and breathe normally, and check with a doctor if you have a respiratory or heart condition.