A breathing app to help you fall asleep
Last updated 2 June 2026
Breathing helps you fall asleep when the exhale is long and slow, which nudges the body toward rest. A few techniques do this well: 4-7-8, coherent breathing, and cyclic sighing. Sunholm guides all of these on iPhone, fully offline, so you can pick the one that settles you.
Techniques that wind you down
- 4-7-8: inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8, a long exhale to wind down.
- Coherent breathing at about 5.5 a minute: a slow, even rhythm to settle over a few minutes.
- Cyclic sighing: a double inhale and a long exhale, to calm quickly.
They share one idea: make the exhale longer than the inhale and keep the pace slow.
Why an app helps at night
Counting a pattern in the dark keeps your mind busy when you want it quiet. Sunholm keeps the timing with a calm visual, runs entirely on your iPhone so it works offline with no signal, and does no tracking. It is free to download, with optional in-app purchases; the free tier shows the occasional in-app upgrade prompt. This is general wellbeing guidance, not treatment for insomnia.
How it compares
| What helps at bedtime | Sunholm | Plain timer |
|---|---|---|
| Guides long-exhale techniques | Yes | No |
| Calm visual to follow | Yes | No |
| Works offline | Yes | Varies |
| No third-party ads or tracking | Yes | Varies |
| Pick from several techniques | Nine | No |
Frequently asked questions
Which breathing technique helps you fall asleep?
Techniques with a long, slow exhale, like 4-7-8, coherent breathing, and cyclic sighing. Sunholm guides all of them so you can pick what settles you.
Is there a free breathing app for sleep?
Yes. Sunholm is free to download and runs fully offline with no tracking and no third-party ads. Two of the wind-down techniques, coherent breathing and cyclic sighing, are free; others, including 4-7-8, are an optional in-app purchase, and the free tier shows the occasional in-app upgrade prompt.
Can you choose the technique each night?
Yes. Sunholm guides several long-exhale techniques, so you can choose the one that works for you on a given night.
Is Sunholm private?
Yes. Everything runs on your iPhone with no account and no tracking, so nothing about your sessions leaves the device.
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Sunholm offers general wellbeing and relaxation guidance, not medical advice or treatment for any condition. If a symptom is persistent, speak with a clinician.