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Breathe along · Buteyko

Control Pause timer: measure it online

Breathe out normally, pinch your nose, and start the timer. It counts the seconds; you stop at the first urge to breathe. Free, no sign-up, no cookies.

Ready?

Breathe out normally, pinch your nose

The time stays on your device and isn’t saved.

If anything feels uncomfortable, just stop and breathe normally.

How it works

  1. Sit quietly for a few minutes and breathe normally through your nose, ideally at the same time of day each time, for example in the morning.
  2. Breathe out normally and gently, not especially deep, and don’t take a deep breath beforehand: that can change your number.
  3. Pinch your nose and tap “Start measurement”: the timer counts the seconds.
  4. Tap “Stop” as soon as you feel the first clear urge to breathe, not when you can’t hold on any longer.
  5. Let go of your nose and keep breathing calmly and normally through it; if you need to gasp, you waited too long.

There are no validated norms. What’s meaningful is only your own number over time, measured the same way: same time of day, same position, same routine. Write it down if you want to track your trend.

Only hold your breath as long as it feels easy, up to the first clear urge to breathe, never until you’re gasping for air. Never measure in or near water (including the bathtub), while driving, or anywhere a brief blackout could be dangerous. Don’t breathe fast and deep beforehand: in a CDC report, all four people who died while holding their breath underwater had deliberately hyperventilated first.1 Measure at rest, not right after exercise. If you feel dizzy or notice tingling in your hands or lips, stop and breathe normally. The control pause isn’t a medical measurement and isn’t a test for asthma, anxiety, or any other condition; never change prescribed treatment because of it. If you’re pregnant or have a heart or circulation condition, high blood pressure, epilepsy, glaucoma, or panic disorder, check with your doctor first.

What the control pause is

The control pause comes from the Buteyko method. It’s the time you can comfortably hold your breath after a normal exhale.2 It’s explicitly not about holding out as long as possible: the test ends at the first clear urge to breathe, which makes it a subjective measure.3 One version of it goes by BOLT score.

What studies show

Buteyko assumed that a longer control pause means more carbon dioxide in the lungs. But among 83 adults, the relationship was weak and actually went the other way.4 A second study from the same group found no link with carbon dioxide at all.5 The number wasn’t linked to fitness either: not in 28 active college students and not in 49 elite athletes.3, 6

Even an unnoticed deeper breath before the hold can noticeably lower carbon dioxide and change your number.7 And you get better at holding your breath with practice: in healthy athletes, several studies found that breath-hold training improved hold times, but not performance.3 So a higher number mainly shows that you’ve practiced holding your breath, not that you’re healthier or fitter. These studies tested the measurement, not the nowa app. More on this, including the charts you find online: BOLT score and control pause: what your number really means.

This page shares general information about breathing exercises for relaxation and well-being. It is not medical advice and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a licensed professional. nowa is a wellness app. It is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Only practice while it feels comfortable. If you feel dizzy or short of breath, or notice a racing heart, chest pain, or strong anxiety, stop and breathe normally. If you have a medical condition (for example a heart or lung condition, or epilepsy) or are pregnant, talk to your doctor or midwife before trying new breathing exercises. Never change prescribed treatment on your own.

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Sources

  1. Boyd C, Levy A, McProud T, Huang L, Raneses E, Olson C (2015). Fatal and nonfatal drowning outcomes related to dangerous underwater breath-holding behaviors: New York State, 1988–2011. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 64(19):518–521. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4584570
    CDC case report, 16 cases
  2. Vagedes K, Kuderer S, Ehmann R, Kohl M, Wildhaber J, Jörres RA, Vagedes J (2024). Effect of Buteyko breathing technique on clinical and functional parameters in adult patients with asthma: a randomized, controlled study. European Journal of Medical Research 29(1):42. doi.org/10.1186/s40001-023-01634-1
    Randomized study; cited here: definition and values of the 30 healthy comparison participants
  3. Kowalski T, Rebis K, Wilk A, Klusiewicz A, Wiecha S, Paleczny B (2024). Body Oxygen Level Test (BOLT) is not associated with exercise performance in highly-trained individuals. Frontiers in Physiology 15:1430837. doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1430837
    Cross-sectional study, 49 elite athletes
  4. Courtney R, Cohen M (2008). Investigating the claims of Konstantin Buteyko, M.D., Ph.D.: the relationship of breath holding time to end tidal CO2 and other proposed measures of dysfunctional breathing. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 14(2):115–123. doi.org/10.1089/acm.2007.7204
    Cross-sectional study, 83 adults
  5. Courtney R, Greenwood KM, Cohen M (2011). Relationships between measures of dysfunctional breathing in a population with concerns about their breathing. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 15(1):24–34. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2010.06.004
    Cross-sectional study, 84 people
  6. Marko D, Krajcigr M, Bahenský P (2026). Association between BOLT score, aerobic fitness, and physical activity in active university students: a cross-sectional study. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 66(3):329–339. doi.org/10.23736/S0022-4707.25.17282-4
    Cross-sectional study, 28 active students
  7. Zerweck L, Schrade G, Manger A, Haas P, Döbele S, Nieß A, Ernemann U, Hauser TK (2026). End-tidal CO2 changes during short breath-hold maneuvers: variability, paradigm effects, and spirometric correlates. Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology 345:104637. doi.org/10.1016/j.resp.2026.104637
    Measurement study, 20 healthy volunteers

All sources last checked on November 3, 2026.