Guided Relaxation Sessions Breathe
Sit or lie comfortably. Headphones recommended.
Free Mix: Frequencies and Background Sounds Live
Binaural beats
Use headphones: each ear hears a slightly different pitch.
Relaxing tones
Soft, slowly breathing tones. Speakers or headphones.
Background noise
A soft bed under any tone, or on its own.
Pick a mix or tap sounds to switch them on, then press Play. Keep the volume low. Binaural beats need headphones.
Related Tools
How Do I Use Guided Relaxation?
Choose a session, such as Stress relief or Deep sleep, set a length and press Start. Breathe in as the circle grows, hold when it says Hold, and breathe out as it shrinks; the sound swells and fades with you, and a soft pulse keeps the rhythm. Short prompts guide your attention through your body. Five minutes is enough to feel calmer; use headphones for the binaural sessions.
The Guided Sessions Explained
| Session | Breathing pattern | Sound and rhythm | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stress relief | In 4 s, out 6 s (6 breaths a minute) | 6 Hz theta beat, brown noise, slowing heartbeat | Tension after a hard day |
| Calm mind | Box breathing: in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4 | Warm 432 Hz tone, soft count | Racing thoughts, before a meeting or exam |
| Deep sleep | 4-7-8: in 4, hold 7, out 8 | 2 Hz delta beat, brown noise, heartbeat slowing towards 50 a minute | Falling asleep |
| Focus | In 5, out 5 | 10 Hz pulsing tone (works on speakers), pink noise | Settling before study or work |
| Body recovery | In 4, out 8 | Low 174 Hz tone, heartbeat, a guided body scan from forehead to feet | Physical tension, after exercise, rest days |
| Lift your mood | In 4, out 4 | Brighter 528 Hz tone, grounding and gratitude prompts | A low or scattered moment |
Why Slow Breathing Helps You Relax
Breathing out more slowly than you breathe in, and slowing to around six breaths a minute, activates the parasympathetic "rest and digest" side of the nervous system. Studies of slow, paced breathing report lower heart rate, lower self-reported stress and anxiety, and better heart-rate variability, which is why it is used in stress-management programmes and by athletes and the military. A steady rhythm to follow, visual and audible, makes it much easier to keep the pace than counting alone.
Stress, Low Mood and When to Get Help
Relaxation sessions can help you feel calmer in the moment and make a useful daily habit, but they are not a treatment for depression or anxiety disorders. If you have felt low, hopeless or unable to enjoy things most days for more than two weeks, talk to a doctor or a mental health professional. If you ever think about harming yourself, contact your local emergency number or a crisis helpline straight away; you do not have to manage it alone.
How to use the free mix
- Tap a ready-made mix, or tap individual sounds to switch them on.
- Set each slider to a quiet, comfortable level.
- Choose a timer: 2 minutes to try a sound, 10 to 60 minutes for relaxing or falling asleep.
- Press Play. You can change sounds while it plays; Stop ends everything.
The Frequencies Explained
| Sound | What you hear | Often used for |
|---|---|---|
| Deep sleep, 2 Hz (delta) | Two low tones, one per ear, that blend into a slow pulse twice a second | Winding down at bedtime |
| Relax, 6 Hz (theta) | A gentle pulse six times a second | Unwinding, breathing exercises, quiet reflection |
| Calm focus, 10 Hz (alpha) | A lighter, quicker pulse | Reading or studying while staying relaxed |
| 432 Hz | A warm, round tone, slightly lower than standard concert pitch A (440 Hz) | A soft background tone for relaxing |
| 528 Hz | A brighter tone | People who prefer a lighter sound |
| 396 Hz and 174 Hz | Mellow and very low tones | A deep, calm background |
| Brown and pink noise | A soft rumble or an even hiss like steady rain | Covering background noise; pairs well with any tone |
How the Sounds Are Made
Every sound is generated live by your browser with the Web Audio API; nothing is downloaded or streamed. A binaural beat is two sine waves sent separately to the left and right ear: for the 6 Hz preset, one ear hears a 200 Hz tone and the other 206 Hz, and the brain perceives the 6 Hz difference as a slow pulse. The relaxing tones combine the main frequency with a quieter tone one octave below and a slightly detuned copy, which makes them sound warm rather than like a test beep, and their volume rises and falls very slowly, about once every ten seconds, like breathing. A short, synthetic room echo softens everything. Brown noise is random values added together, which gives its deep rumble; pink noise is filtered so lower pitches carry more energy.
Who Uses Relaxing Frequencies?
- People who struggle to switch off at night: a steady, quiet tone gives the mind something simple to settle on.
- Students and remote workers: an alpha beat or pink noise at low volume as a calm background for reading.
- Breathing and quiet-time routines: a 10-minute timer with the Unwind mix marks a fixed wind-down period.
- Light sleepers: brown noise under a tone covers traffic and household sounds.
What the Evidence Says
Soft, steady sounds help many people relax, and some small studies report short-term relaxation or lower self-reported anxiety with binaural beats, but results are mixed and the effects are modest. There is no good evidence that 432 Hz, 528 Hz or other specific frequencies heal the body. Treat these sounds as a pleasant part of a calming routine. A regular bedtime, less late screen time and a dark, quiet room matter more; track your routine with the habit planner and see your yearly screen hours with the screen time calculator. If poor sleep goes on for weeks, talk to a doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are binaural beats?
Do binaural beats or 432 Hz really help you relax or sleep?
What do delta, theta and alpha mean?
How loud should I play them?
Is it safe for everyone?
Why does the sound stop after a few minutes?
Last updated: October 2026