Breath Switch: Stress Relief

Breath Switch is a calm, simple guide to breathing exercises through one nostril or both in turn. Pick how you want to feel, follow the timer, and let your breath slow down.

Use it for stress relief after a long day, a few minutes of relaxation, a clearer head before work, or a slow wind down before sleep.

★ PICK HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL
• Calm: slow breathing through the left side for relaxation and stress relief
• Focus: a short right side session, or alternate nostril breathing before work or study
• Balance: classic alternate nostril breathing, also called nadi shodhana or anulom vilom
• Sleep: a soft left side session with a long breath out to wind down at night

★ EIGHT GUIDED SESSIONS
Left Side Calm, Moon Breath, Right Side Wake Up, Sun Breath, Alternate Nostril, Focus Reset, Alternate With Pause and Sleep Wind Down. Sessions run from 2 to 15 minutes. Each one shows which side to close, when to breathe in and when to breathe out, with simple steps and a short note on the science.

★ PACED LIKE THE STUDIES
Every session runs at about 5 to 6 breaths a minute, the slow pace used in published breathing research. Pauses are short, used in one session only, and never held after the breath out.

★ FOLLOW, LISTEN AND FEEL
• A planet of light: the open side glows and the closed side goes dark
• Or a simple bubble that grows and shrinks with your breath
• Calm music, a warm voice guide and soft tones as the breath turns
• A gentle hum in your hand that rises as you breathe in and fades as you breathe out
• Each one is a tap away, even mid session

★ MORE WAYS TO PRACTISE
• The science in seven short pages, each with a chart and the paper behind it
• A home screen widget to start Calm or Focus with one tap
• On work days, two calm check ins and a call to deep focus, only if you turn them on

★ BACKED BY RESEARCH
• A 2022 review of 223 studies found that slow breathing raises heart rate variability, a marker of the body's resting state (Laborde and colleagues, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews).
• A 2023 meta analysis of 12 randomised trials found breathing exercises were linked with lower stress, and lower anxiety scores too (Fincham and colleagues, Scientific Reports).
• A 2024 review of randomised trials found that alternate nostril breathing was followed by somewhat lower blood pressure than in control groups, while noting that the trials were mixed in quality (Nam and colleagues, Complementary Medicine Research).
• In a 6 week study of 85 students, slow left nostril breathing was linked with a calmer heart rate, and right nostril breathing with a more active state (Pal and colleagues, North American Journal of Medical Sciences, 2014).
• In a small 2017 study, 15 minutes of alternate nostril breathing was followed by lower blood pressure and a faster attention test time (Telles and colleagues, Medical Science Monitor Basic Research).
Most nostril breathing studies are small, and results vary from person to person.

★ PRIVATE AND QUIET
• Fully offline. Works anywhere, no internet needed
• No ads
• No account
• No tracking
• Gentle reminders, only if you turn them on

★ BREATHE SAFELY
Breathe gently and never force air through a blocked nose. If you feel dizzy or light headed, stop and breathe normally. Skip the right side sessions and the pauses if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, or if you are pregnant. Never practise while driving or in water.

Breath Switch is a relaxation and wellbeing app. It is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat or prevent any condition, including anxiety disorders, sleep problems or high blood pressure. If you have a health condition, talk to your doctor before starting any breathing practice.

Recent changes:
Calm music under every session, with a switch to turn it off.
Feel the breath: a soft hum that rises as you breathe in and fades as you breathe out.
A plain bubble to follow instead of the planet, if you like it simpler.
Music, voice, hum and bubble can each be switched on or off with one tap during a session.
A cleaner menu on the home screen.
A link to the privacy policy in Settings.