A five-minute breathing protocol your team can start this week.
Three techniques and when to use each, a four-week rollout plan, how to tell whether it is working, and what our own 199-person pilot showed. Free to use and share, no sign-up.
By Dhruv Adhia, founder of Vayu · September 2026
Three techniques, three moments
Each one is slow breathing with a long exhale, which studies comparing breathing ratios link to the relaxation response. None needs equipment, and all three can be done at a desk, on a ward or in a hallway.
The daily reset
Extended exhale breathing: three seconds in, a soft pause, six seconds out, another pause. Or cyclic sighing: two inhales through the nose, one long exhale through the mouth. Anchor it to something that already happens, such as the start of a shift, a standup or the end of lunch.
Open the free timerSteady up
Box breathing: four counts in, hold, out, hold. The equal counts are easy to follow when your head is busy, which makes it a good fit before a presentation, a difficult call, a handover or an exam.
Open the free timerCome back down
Three cyclic sighs after an incident, a conflict or bad news. It is the quickest of the three, it needs no counting, and nobody nearby will notice you doing it.
Open the free timerWhat the evidence says
In a Stanford randomised trial, five minutes a day of cyclic sighing for a month improved mood more than the same time spent in mindfulness meditation, and it was the strongest of the breathing exercises tested. Separate studies show that a longer exhale is what drives the relaxation effect, which is why every technique here puts the weight on the out-breath.
Four weeks, start to decision
Invite and measure
Invite people, and make clear it is optional. Ask volunteers to complete the PSS-10, a free 10-question stress scale, anonymously. At one team meeting, run one minute of the daily reset together so everyone has felt it once.
Make the daily reset a habit
Five minutes at the same point every day, tied to something that already happens. A shared start is easier than individual reminders. Keep it short; consistency matters more than length.
Add the moments
Introduce box breathing before hard moments and cyclic sighs after them. Ask people to name one moment in their own week where they will use each.
Measure again and decide
Repeat the PSS-10, ask two open questions (what helped, what got in the way), and look at how many people kept going. Decide whether to continue, widen or stop.
How to tell whether it is working
- Perceived stress (PSS-10). Ten questions, free to use, widely used in research. Collect it anonymously before week 1 and after week 4.
- Participation. How many people practised in week 4 compared with week 1. A practice nobody keeps has no effect to measure.
- Two open questions. What helped, and what got in the way. The answers tell you what to change for a wider rollout.
- Heart rate variability, optional. If people already wear a smartwatch, Vayu reads HRV after each session, which gives a physiological signal alongside the survey.
What our pilot showed
In a naturalistic pilot, 199 people used Vayu in their daily lives for four to six weeks. Median heart rate variability rose 28.6%, resting heart rate fell 7.4 bpm, and perceived stress on the PSS-10 fell 16% (2.5 points).
Read it for what it is. There was no control group, participants chose to use the app, and a before-and-after comparison cannot separate the practice from everything else that changed in those weeks. It shows what happened for people who practised, not proof of cause. Methods, results and limitations.
Keep it safe and voluntary
- It is always optional, and nobody is watched, scored or ranked on it.
- It is not a substitute for mental health support. Keep your EAP or counselling service visible alongside it.
- Anyone who feels dizzy or lightheaded should stop and breathe normally. People who are pregnant, or have a heart, lung or seizure condition, should skip breath holds and read the safety guide.
Want us to run this with your team?
A free 30-day Vayu pilot for up to 25 people follows this protocol, with guidance as gentle taps on the wrist so people can practise with their eyes closed. No credit card. We reply within two working days with a draft plan.
