Evidence
Every claim we make is tied to a source. Here's our evidence base, with dates, scope, and limitations.
Last reviewed: September 25, 2026
“70,000+ downloads”
- Source:
- Internal analytics (App Store Connect + Google Play Console)
- Date:
- April 2026
- Scope:
- Cumulative downloads across iOS and Android
- Notes:
- Includes free and paid installs. Does not deduplicate cross-platform installs.
“199-participant pilot study”
- Source:
- Prana Labs with the SFU Metacreation Lab, supported by NRC IRAP; medRxiv preprint, under peer review
- Date:
- June 2026
- Scope:
- Naturalistic, uncontrolled pilot over 4 to 6 weeks. Median HRV +28.6%, resting heart rate −7.4 bpm, PSS-10 −2.5 points (−16%)
- Notes:
- About 29% of enrollees sustained weekly practice, so outcomes describe that subgroup. Effect sizes are withheld until the revised preprint is posted. No control group; associations, not causation.
“64% 30-day retention”
- Source:
- Internal analytics (Mixpanel cohort analysis)
- Date:
- January 2026
- Scope:
- Share of new installs that opened the app at least once within 30 days
- Notes:
- Based on cohorts from Q4 2025. Retention varies by acquisition channel.
“Available in 15+ countries”
- Source:
- App Store Connect & Google Play Console territory reports
- Date:
- February 2026
- Scope:
- Countries with at least 10 active accounts
“Box breathing reduces stress and improves focus”
- Source:
- Ma et al., 'The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults,' Frontiers in Psychology, 2017
- Date:
- 2017
- Scope:
- Randomized controlled trial, 40 participants, 8-week intervention
- Notes:
- Study used diaphragmatic breathing (similar mechanic to box breathing). Effect sizes were moderate.
“4-7-8 breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system”
- Source:
- Vierra et al., 'Effect of Slow Paced Breathing on Cardiovascular Function,' Psychophysiology, 2022
- Date:
- 2022
- Scope:
- Meta-analysis of slow-paced breathing interventions on autonomic function
- Notes:
- Extended exhale patterns consistently show parasympathetic activation across multiple studies.
“Physiological sigh is the fastest-acting stress reduction technique”
- Source:
- Balban et al., 'Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal,' Cell Reports Medicine, 2023
- Date:
- 2023
- Scope:
- Randomized controlled trial, 108 participants, daily 5-minute interventions over 1 month
- Notes:
- Cyclic sighing outperformed mindfulness meditation on mood and respiratory rate reduction.
“Vagus nerve stimulation via breathing reduces inflammation”
- Source:
- Gerritsen & Band, 'Breath of Life: The Respiratory Vagal Stimulation Model of Contemplative Activity,' Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2018
- Date:
- 2018
- Scope:
- Review article synthesizing research on respiratory vagal stimulation
- Notes:
- Theoretical model supported by convergent evidence from multiple studies.
“HRV improves with regular breathwork practice”
- Source:
- Lehrer & Gevirtz, 'Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback: How and Why Does It Work?,' Frontiers in Psychology, 2014
- Date:
- 2014
- Scope:
- Review of HRV biofeedback mechanisms across clinical and healthy populations
