Breathing exercises for stress and anxiety
Last updated 2 June 2026
When stress spikes, slow paced breathing with a long exhale is one of the simplest things that helps. A few good patterns cover most situations: box breathing to steady, cyclic sighing to calm fast, and coherent breathing to settle over a few minutes. On iPhone, Sunholm guides all of these, fully offline and free to start.
Techniques that help
- Box breathing (4-4-4-4): steady and grounding before something stressful.
- Cyclic sighing: a double inhale and long exhale, for calming quickly.
- Coherent breathing (around 5.5 breaths a minute): a slow, even rhythm to settle over a few minutes.
- 4-7-8: a longer exhale for winding down.
They share one idea: slow the breath and make the exhale longer than the inhale.
A calm app, not a noisy one
Sunholm guides nine techniques with gentle pacing, runs entirely on your iPhone so it works offline, with no tracking and no third-party ads. It is free to start, with optional in-app purchases; the free tier shows an occasional full-screen prompt to upgrade, which a purchase removes. This is general wellbeing guidance, not medical advice; if anxiety is persistent, speak with a clinician.
How it compares
| What to look for | Sunholm | Generic timer |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple paced techniques | Nine | No |
| One tap in the moment | Yes | Varies |
| Works offline | Yes | Varies |
| No tracking, no third-party ads | Yes | Varies |
| Free to start | Yes | Varies |
Frequently asked questions
Do breathing exercises help with anxiety?
Slow, paced breathing with a long exhale is widely used to calm the body's stress response. It is not a cure, but it is a simple tool you can reach for in the moment.
Which breathing technique is best for stress?
Box breathing steadies you, cyclic sighing calms quickly, and coherent breathing settles you over a few minutes. Sunholm includes all of them so you can pick what fits.
Is there a free breathing app for anxiety?
Yes. Sunholm is free to start, guides nine techniques, runs fully offline, and does no tracking and shows no third-party ads. The free tier does show an occasional full-screen upgrade prompt, which a purchase removes.
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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Sources
Sunholm offers general wellbeing and relaxation guidance, not medical advice or treatment for any condition. If a symptom is persistent, speak with a clinician.