For the moment you're in
Breathing for focus.
Focus rarely arrives on command. What a breathing pattern can do is clear the threshold: a few minutes of even counting that settle the noise without adding speed, so the work starts from somewhere steadier.
Last updated: August 2026
Where to start
- Box Breathing 5 min
Reed's focus pattern: four counts to a side, an even track for a busy mind to run on. - Nadi Shodhana 8 min
The classical alternate-nostril practice, which balances the breath before deep work. - Coherence 10 min
For when you have the time to settle properly before starting: five in, five out, sustained.
Before deep work, a few minutes of even counting settle the noise without adding speed. And because Reed measures your state before and after, you can check whether the pattern earned its minutes.
Practising safely
The patterns on this page are gentle. Practise sitting or lying down somewhere safe, never while driving or in water, and stop if you feel dizzy or unwell. If you are pregnant, or have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, a respiratory condition, epilepsy, or experience panic attacks, check with a doctor before you begin. Reed is for general wellbeing; it is not medical advice or treatment.
Five to ten minutes, guided by a single orb, before the work rather than instead of it. You mark how you feel before and after, and Reed shows you the shift.
Free, like every session, with no account.
Questions
Which breathing exercise is best for focus?
Box Breathing is Reed's focus pattern: the even four-count gives the mind a track to run on. Nadi Shodhana suits the minutes before deep work; Coherence suits a longer settling. Your own before-and-after tells you which one earns its place.
When should I practise, before or during work?
Before. The patterns here are a threshold to cross into the work, a few minutes long, and the session ends with a check-in rather than running in the background.
Why does counting help?
An even count gives a busy mind one steady thing to follow, and while you are following it, there is less room for everything else.
Are these sessions free?
Yes. Every session in Reed is free and unlimited, with no account. Reed Pro adds personal insights on top; it never locks a session.