App
FAQ
What is breathepod?
A system to teach you how to breathe at your Personal Best Relaxation Breathing Rate to help reduce stress, calm you down, and improve your health and focus. The scientific term for your Personal Best Relaxation Breathing Rate is Resonance Frequency Breathing. Your Resonance Frequency Breathing Rate is NOT your normal breathing rate. It is only used during the breathing exercises and when you want to calm down or increase your ability to perform.
What is my breathing exercise goal?
The goal of the relaxation breathing exercises is to move the ball on the stress/calm bar to the green calm zone.
Do I need to watch the Breathing Coach the entire time?
Your goal is to move the ball on the stress/calm bar to the green calm zone.
Everyone is different. There are 3 methods to reach the state of calmness and enter the green zone on the stress/calm bar. Use what best works for you.
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Follow the Breathing Coach
The pacer is there to help you know when to inhale and/or exhale at your best breathing rate to achieve relaxation. As you become familiar with the sensation of the proper breathing rate, it is not necessary to watch the pacer. Eventually, you will be able to breathe at the proper rate without relying on visual guidance. -
Follow the ball on the stress/calm bar
Some people may find it harder at first to follow the Breathing Coach pacer. They may relax better by observing the ball on the stress/calm bar and adjust their breathing pattern to move the ball to the green calm zone. -
Listen to the music get louder
Some people do better by closing their eyes and listening to the music get louder while being coached by the Relaxation Coach, Underwater Coach or Colors Coach.
Sometimes I am more successful in reaching the green calm zone by focusing on the ball on the stress/calm bar. Is this okay?
At first, some people may find it difficult to follow the Breathing Coach pacer. They relax better by observing the ball on the stress/calm bar and adjusting their breathing pattern to move the ball to the green calm zone. Some people may do better by closing their eyes and listening to the music and breathing at their own pace. Since Mindfulness is an important component in the relaxation process, everyone has their own way to reach the green zone on the stress/calm bar.
I am following the coach pacer but the ball on my calm/stress bar stays in the red. What am I doing wrong?
Your inner balance depends on 3 factors: State of Mind, Heart Rate and Breathing Rate. All 3 factors need to work in harmony to reduce stress and to stay calm. Since Mindfulness is an important component in the relaxation process, everyone has their own best way to reaching the green calm zone on the stress/calm bar.
Mindfulness is a term used to achieve a mental state where you do not dwell on the past or the future. It is a therapeutic technique focusing on the moment and accepting your feelings and thoughts. The app helps you to achieve mindfulness when you focus on the breathing coach, music, audio, videos and pictures. Stay mindful of the moment and focus your thoughts on the breathing coach, music, audio, videos and pictures.
I am trying very hard to reach the green calm zone but the ball is moving towards the red stress zone. Why?
We have all been taught that in order to achieve a goal, we should put more effort into it. This is not the case when using your breathing rate to calm you down. The harder you try, the more stressed out you become. Breathing should be smooth. Adopt a peaceful and accepting attitude towards your breathing exercises. Don’t worry about how well you’re doing or about interruptions. With repetition, your ability to regulate yourself and your breathing will increase.
I am mindful of the breathing coach, music, audio, video, and pictures, but I am still having a problem getting into the green calm zone. Why?
Try shifting your focal point away from the training screen for a while. Relax your muscles and return to your normal and natural breathing pace. Stay in this state for as long as you need, until you feel ready to train again using the pacer.
Try focusing on slowing down your breathing. Slowing your breathing has many mental and physical advantages. Count to 4 or 5 as you exhale, as long as you are comfortable doing it. You may want to use the pursed lip breathing technique.
Sometimes shallow breathing may keep your Inner Balance towards the stress red zone. Take a few deep breaths to break the cycle to maintain a balance closer to the calm zone. People tend to try to breathe deeper in order to become relaxed. If you extend the time you take to exhale, deeper breathing will naturally occur.
What if I have negative emotions, worries and intrusive thoughts while I try to relax?
Negative emotions, worries, and intrusive thoughts can cause the Breathing Coach to be out of sync with your heart rate. Focus on the breathing coach, music, audio, videos and pictures.
Try counting. We all have a limited capacity to store information simultaneously, so counting can help us let go of negative thoughts.
Are there any conditions that may affect the accuracy of the Breathing Coach?
For some people who are on heart medication or have sleep apnea, their heart rhythm may “confuse” the coach. The coach’s breathing pattern may not successfully get you to the green zone. In this case, adjust your breathing on your own to successfully move the ball to the green zone.
When should practicing the relaxation techniques be avoided?
Avoid practicing within an hour before or after a meal; as both hunger and feeling full may distract you. You may find your best time to practice by doing the exercises at different times of the day to see what works best for you.
Can my posture affect my relaxation results?
Posture may hinder your inhalation. Make sure you’re wearing clothes that let you fully relax your abdominal muscles. Lean back into your chair or lay down. Your air passage should be free. Breathe through your mouth or nose, whichever is more comfortable.
When will I see results?
As with all learned techniques, like riding a bike, playing a musical instrument, exercising and building muscle mass, it takes time and practice to acquire the necessary skills. Most people will see results in 4 to 6 weeks, but it is possible to see improvement much sooner. For the best results, we recommend practicing at least 15 minutes a day. Every minute you spend in the green calm zone will help your resilience to stress.
Can I turn the app sound off?
There are 2 methods to turn the app sound off.
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You can turn down the volume on your phone.
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You can mute the sound in the programs in the Relax menu and Sleep menu. Tapping the speaker icon located in the left upper hand corner will toggle the app sound on and off.
Can I listen to my own music?
We have selected a handful of calming sounds to help you relax. If you would like to listen to your own music from your phone, simply mute the sound on the app and play music from your own music library or from a streaming service. Use your phone volume control to adjust the background music volume. You may want to listen to music from your TV or radio.
Can I make or receive a phone call and use the app’s breathing coach to relax at the same time?
Yes. You can toggle off the app sound in the programs in the Relax and Sleep menus. Then follow the breathing coach pacer and make or receive a phone call at the same time. This is a very useful calming technique during a stressful phone call.
Do I have to do the Baseline Monitoring?
Baseline monitoring is optional. If you consistently take your reading in the morning when you first wake up, you can track your Inner Balance trend and Heart Rate. You can develop a history of your vital signs which can help determine what calms you down and what stresses you out.
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