Wim Hof Breathing Timer

Before you start

It will probably make you light-headed and tingly. That is expected.

Some people faint.

Never in or near water
Never while driving
Sit or lie down before you begin
Stop any time you want to — nothing is required
If you feel faint, stop and breathe normally

If you are pregnant, or have a heart condition, epilepsy or high blood pressure, speak to a doctor first.

How to do it

Read the safety note on this page before you start. It is short and it matters.
Sit or lie down somewhere you cannot fall.
Take thirty deep breaths, in through the nose and out without forcing.
On the thirtieth, breathe in deeply and do not let it go — the hold starts there.
Hold for as long as you want to. Your lungs empty themselves as it goes on.
When you want to breathe, take a recovery breath in and hold it for a moment.
Let it go. That is one round; the next one begins.

Using the timer on this page

Go back to the timer at the top of this page. It has already opened on Wim Hof breathing, with its rounds and holds at their opening settings.
Choose a level for the breath holds: Gentle, Steady, Deep or Untimed. The line above the choices lists the target for each round.
Set Rounds to 2, 3 or 4.
Press Begin. The first time, the safety note appears and the session waits until you accept it. The button shows an estimate of the session for the settings you picked.
Follow the figure: it grows as you breathe in, shrinks as you breathe out and stays where it is through a timed hold, while the screen names each phase. Pause or stop whenever you like.

What it does

Not a calming protocol. Repeated overbreathing lowers CO₂, which is what makes the hold possible and the tingling normal.

Where it comes from

Thirty deep breaths in a row, then a hold on the last one in, then a recovery breath. That is one round, and the rounds get longer. The method is named after Wim Hof.

Every round has the same shape: a long run of deep breaths at a steady rhythm, a hold you end yourself, and a short recovery. What changes from round to round is how long the hold is meant to be, and the level you choose sets that.

The breathing part is not slow. It is fuller and quicker than resting breathing on purpose, which is why the safety note on this page comes before anything else.

At a glance

Breathing: 30 breaths, 3 s in and 3 s out
Retention: held on the last full breath in, for as long as you choose
Recovery: one breath in over 3 s, held 15 s, let go over 5 s
Between rounds: 6 s before the next round
Rounds: adjustable, 2 to 4; 3 to start
Hold targets: Gentle, Steady, Deep, Untimed
Pace: fixed — the numbers are the pattern
Runs: in this browser, and in the app

Timing variations

There is no pace setting here: the deep breaths run at a fixed rhythm. What you choose is how long the holds are meant to be and how many rounds you do. Each level sets a target hold for each round; reaching it is never required, and the hold ends the moment you breathe.

Gentle: holds of 30 s, 45 s, 1 min over 3 rounds — 12 min 33 s
Steady: holds of 45 s, 1 min, 1.5 min over 3 rounds — 13 min 33 s
Deep: holds of 1 min, 1.5 min, 2 min over 3 rounds — 14 min 48 s
Untimed: no target: each hold ends when you breathe
2 rounds: 8 min 7 s at Gentle
3 rounds: 12 min 33 s at Gentle
4 rounds: 16 min 59 s at Gentle

The lengths above are worked out by the same code that runs the timer, assuming each hold lasts exactly its target. Untimed has no target, so its length is yours.

Common questions

What should I read before starting?

The safety note on this page, below the timer. It says where this must never be done and what some people experience. Read it before you press Begin.

How long does a session take?

It depends on the rounds and the hold length you choose. The Begin button shows the estimate for the settings you have picked before you press it.

What does "untimed" mean?

The hold has no countdown — you end it yourself when you want to breathe. There is still a backstop so a phone put down mid-hold does not stay lit indefinitely.

How many rounds?

Three by default, and you can set two, three or four before you begin. Each round is longer than the one before it.

Can I stop in the middle?

Yes, at any point, and nothing here requires you to finish a round or a session.

Why is there no pace setting?

The thirty breaths run at a fixed rhythm and the holds are what change between rounds, so the settings here are the rounds and the hold length instead.

Is there a Wim Hof breathing timer online?

This page has one. It runs in your browser, asks you to read and accept the safety note before your first session, then counts the breaths and times the holds for you.

What do the levels change?

Only the target for each hold. The breathing between holds is the same at every level, and every target is guidance: the hold ends whenever you choose to breathe.

The app

Tide is a breathing timer that runs on your phone or in this browser. It opens ready to go and lets you set any pattern you like.

On your phone it runs with sound and haptics, and it works with no connection at all.

App Store Google Play