Adjust the rate, press start, follow the orb. No signup, no install, no data collection.
Using the pacer
Start at 5.5 BPM with a 1:1 inhale-to-exhale ratio. That's the population mean resonance frequency; it's also the easiest rhythm for a beginner. Breathe through your nose if you can, let your diaphragm do the work, and keep the breath soft. Nothing should feel forced or strained.
If 5.5 feels too slow, try 6. If it feels too fast, try 5. The right pace is one you can hold comfortably for 15+ minutes; if you're gulping air or feeling light-headed, you're pushing too hard.
For most people, a 1:1 inhale-to-exhale ratio is optimal. Some traditions teach longer exhales (2:3 or 1:2) for relaxation; these do amplify parasympathetic activity but they tend to reduce HRV amplitude at the same time. For coherence training specifically, 1:1 produces the cleanest resonance peak.
What you should (and shouldn't) expect from this pacer alone
This pacer is a guide. It shows you a visual rhythm to breathe along with. It does not know:
- Whether you're actually breathing at the displayed rate (lots of people don't keep up)
- Your HRV response to this rate
- Whether this rate is your personal resonance or whether you'd get more benefit from a different one
- Whether your session was coherent or not
For any of that, you need to measure the heart-rate signal — which is what the Heart Resonance app does. The app turns this same pacer into a closed-loop training tool: it runs against your live HRV, finds your personal frequency, and scores every session on the six coherence criteria.
Put the rate at 5.5, set a timer for 10 minutes, and just breathe. That is already 80% of the value of a coherence-breathing practice. The remaining 20% — making it personalized and measurable — is what the app adds.