Withings Breathe Mode

I mention how I use my Withings Scanwatch in my Manifest More Time blog post. This post details how to use the Breathe mode, which provides both visual and tactile guidance to focus on breathing between 1 to 5 minutes in 30 second increments, with the option to select from 4 to 9 breaths per minute.

The HealthMate app allows users to customize where in the watch’s menu this appears, or to remove it all together, if so desired.

1) Click ‘Devices’ in the app and select the watch
2) Click ‘Settings’
3) Under ‘Display Options’ select ‘Customize Screens’
4) Check the radio button next to ‘Breathe’ to ensure it displays on the watch menu, if not already
5) Press and hold the 3 line icon on the right side of ‘Breathe’ and slide upwards or downwards to place it at the location in the menu it should display
6) Press the back arrow to save the changes and go back to the previous menu

Here is how to use the Breathe feature on the watch:

1) Press the crown to wake up the display on the watch
2) Rotate the crown to browse through the menu to find Breathe
3) Press the crown to launch Breathe mode
4) Choose the duration by turning the crown and press the crown to proceed
5) The next selection, which determines how many breaths per minute, provides a range from 4 to 9 breaths per minute
6) After pressing the crown to confirm the selection, a quick message on the display indicates to relax.

Breathe mode starts when a circle forms with a short vibration to ‘Inhale’ then the circle disappears and vibrates to ‘Exhale’. After that, the display switches to countdown mode so you can see how much time is left for the rest of the session. The brief vibration continues throughout the remainder of the entire session as an indicator for when to start an inhalation as well as each exhalation. I appreciate the tactile guidance this feature provides because it allows me the option to close my eyes and truly focus on my breath without any visual distractions, which helps me become more relaxed quicker.

At the end of the countdown, it will display ‘Finished’ and indicate the heart rate beats per minute (BPM). The BPM should be monitored trying different number of breaths per minute to help determine which enables the most relaxation. According to the website, it indicates doctors recommend 6 breaths a minute for 5 minutes and to do this 3 times a day for cardiac coherence.

If you want more details on this watch, check out my Withings Scanwatch Review post that discusses all the other features of the watch.

I also recorded a video of using the Breathe Mode for 5 minutes with 7 breaths per minute that can be viewed on my YouTube and Spotify channel.