Name: HRV Breathing
Rating: 4.5 (6 reviews)
Author: Oltek

Resonant Breathing app designed for night-time use. Guided breathwork to improve sleep, HRV, and emotional regulation.

It is designed to improve heart rate variability (HRV) through slow, regular breathing. Resonant frequency breathing, also called coherent breathing or simply slow-paced breathwork, has been shown to influence autonomic nervous system activity and to reduce stress and anxiety while increasing relaxation. Around 6 breaths per minute is the rhythm that emerges spontaneously in many contemplative practices and slow-breathing meditation traditions, and is linked to peak HRV.

The app is optimised for night-time breathing, with no blue light and minimal disruption of the circadian rhythm. 

Why HRV Breathing?
- True Phone-Free Hygiene: Designed to run natively on your watch. Leave the phone in another room and focus entirely on your breath.
- Sleep-Ready Design: A red-shifted interface eliminates blue light, protecting your circadian rhythm. Auto-save if you fall asleep mid-session.
- Privacy First: We value your privacy. HRV Breathing does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data. Sessions are recorded as standard Garmin activities through your watch — the app itself sends nothing beyond what Garmin handles natively.

Features
- Resonant breathing, configurable across 13 paces from 4.0 to 7.0 bpm in 0.2–0.3 bpm steps.
- Vibration for inhale/exhale—perfect for use in total darkness.
- Minimal, distraction-free interface.
- Sleep-hygiene friendly: red-shifted display — no blue light, optimised for night-time use.
- Symmetric inhale/exhale or longer-exhale breathing modes. Use Longer Exhale mode during periods of high tension or sympathetic activation.
- Auto-save and auto-exit. If you fall asleep mid-session, the app saves your activity and exits after 5 minutes of inactivity.
- Customizable breathing session view — show Countdown, Clock, live HR, or nothing at all.
- No data collection. 

How to Use
Start the activity and follow the on-screen breathing pace. Breathe gently and evenly using your belly, without strain. Use during rest, recovery, or before sleep. Breathing pace can be adjusted in Settings. The extended range (4.0–7.0 bpm) lets you explore further to find what feels right for you. The breathing should feel comfortable and calming. If you feel strained, short of breath, or lightheaded, the pace is too slow for you.


About the developer
HRV Breathing is developed by a clinical psychologist in Norway together with a technical partner — clinically grounded on one side, solid engineering on the other. It's built around a simple idea: a breathing tool that supports sleep in a phone-free bedroom, with minimal disruption, red-shifted display, and without collecting your data.

Important Note: HRV Breathing is intended for relaxation and general well-being. It is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition.

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Also Available: Kids Breathing — a resonant breathing companion for children and teens ages 6+, with an animated pet (Cat, Dog, or Dino) that breathes along.