Breathing you can keep up with
The guided breathing in Stress Relief uses a moving visual cue rather than a spoken session or a count to memorize. Try following only if the rhythm feels comfortable. Do not force deeper breaths or a fixed pace; breathe normally and stop if you feel uncomfortable or light-headed.
Breathing shows up in two places. Inside every Instant Reset session, gentle breathing is woven around a calming game. And Focus Dots, one of the 19 games, is a standalone breathing exercise: follow a slow dot with your breath for as long as you have.
Why pair breathing with a game
An Instant Reset brings two activities into one session: a calming game and a gentle breathing cue. You may prefer that variety to breathing alone. Choose one, three or five minutes to fit the time available, and end early whenever you want. The session length is a practical time boundary, not a promise of a particular effect.
- Instant Reset: pick a feeling and a time, get a game plus breathing
- Focus Dots: a pure follow-the-dot breathing game
- One-minute sessions for when there is almost no time
- Soft haptics that keep you in the rhythm without looking hard
- Works offline, no ads, low-light design for late nights
What it is not
Stress Relief is not a medical breathing trainer, a heart-rate coach or a therapy program. It is a wellness app for everyday stress. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for professional care. If breathing difficulties or persistent anxiety are part of your life, please speak with a qualified professional.
Seeing what helps
After each session you check in: better, a little better, about the same, still stressed. Over a week those check-ins become calm minutes and a mood trend on the Progress tab, so you can see whether a breath-led reset before meetings actually changes how you feel. Reflection, not streak guilt — there is nothing to lose if you skip a day.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a specific breathing pattern, like box breathing?
The app uses a slow visual cue, without a named counting pattern to memorize. Follow a comfortable rhythm and do not force the exercise. This is a preference in how the activity is presented, not a claim that it is more effective than another technique.
Can I do only breathing without a game?
Yes. Focus Dots is a follow-the-dot breathing game on its own. Instant Reset combines breathing with a calming game.
How long is a breathing session?
You choose one, three or five minutes when you start an Instant Reset. Games have a gentle countdown you can end early.
Does the breathing exercise work offline?
Yes. Games and breathing work without a connection.
Is this a medical breathing app?
Stress Relief is a wellness app. It is not a medical device, it does not diagnose or treat any condition, and it is not a substitute for professional care. If you are struggling, please talk to a qualified professional.
Sources and product references
- NHS: breathing exercises for stress
General guidance recommends comfortable, unforced breathing for at least five minutes. The shorter app cue is a separate activity and is not an NHS-endorsed treatment.
Stress Relief is a wellness app. It is not a medical device, does not diagnose or treat any condition, and is not a substitute for professional care. If you are struggling, please talk to a qualified professional.