Frequently
Asked
Questions

Cardiac coherence is a rhythmic breathing technique that synchronizes your heart, brain, and nervous system. Imagine your heart rate as music: at rest, it's naturally irregular, somewhat chaotic. By breathing at a precise rhythm of 6 breaths per minute (5 seconds inhale, 5 seconds exhale), you transform this chaos into a regular, harmonious wave, like a gentle and stable tide. This synchronization creates a state of balance in your body that activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the one that calms and regenerates you. No need to empty your mind like in meditation, you just need to follow the rhythm of your breathing.

The 5-minute duration is not arbitrary. Research shows that after 2-3 minutes of practice, your body starts to respond: your blood pressure drops and your cortisol decreases. But it's from 5 minutes that you reach a stable and deep state of coherence. The effects of a 5-minute session then last about 4 to 5 hours in your body. That's why the method recommends 3 daily sessions: to maintain these benefits throughout your day. Less than 3 minutes doesn't produce significant effects. If you want to practice more than 5 minutes because it feels good, you can of course do so, but for optimal effectiveness, it's better to repeat several short sessions throughout the day.

Yes, absolutely. Cardiac coherence requires no equipment and can be practiced anywhere: at the office, on public transport, at home, even while walking. You don't need a quiet environment. If you want to be discreet, you can turn off sounds in Anima's settings and keep only the vibrations to guide you. The key is to be able to focus a few minutes on your breathing. Only precaution: avoid practicing while lying down, as the horizontal position changes the effects on your cardiovascular system. Prefer a sitting or standing position.

It's preferable to practice sitting or standing rather than lying down. The horizontal position changes how your cardiovascular system responds to rhythmic breathing, which reduces the effectiveness of cardiac coherence. When sitting, you can be on a chair, in an armchair, or even in your car. The important thing is to have your back relatively straight without being rigid, and to be comfortably settled. You can close your eyes if you wish, or keep them open while following the visual guide. If you sometimes feel the need to practice lying down, for example before sleeping, you can do so, but know that the effects will be less pronounced than in a seated position.

It's better to avoid talking during a cardiac coherence session. Talking disrupts the rhythm of your breathing and prevents you from maintaining the 6 breaths per minute that create the coherence state. If someone speaks to you, you can briefly answer but it will break your rhythm. The ideal is to clearly signal to those around you that you're taking 5 minutes for yourself and that you'll be available afterward. A good practice is to put your phone in "Do Not Disturb" mode and find a place where you won't be interrupted. The more regular and uninterrupted your breathing, the more profound and lasting the effects will be.

There's no absolute ideal time, but some moments offer distinct advantages. In the morning upon waking, cardiac coherence stabilizes your cortisol (stress hormone) that peaks naturally at that time and prepares your nervous system for the day. Late morning or early afternoon, a session helps you refocus after a busy morning and prepare for the rest of the day. In the evening after work, it helps you decompress and transition from work mode to personal time. The key is to avoid practicing too close to sleep as the deep breathing can temporarily energize you. The method recommends 3 sessions spread throughout the day: upon waking, at noon, and late afternoon. But adapt according to your constraints, regularity matters more than timing.

The classic recommendation is to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, or to breathe entirely through the nose. Nasal breathing has advantages: it filters and warms the air, activates certain specific receptors, and naturally slows your breathing rhythm. Mouth exhaling can help release tension more easily. But the most important thing is that you feel comfortable. If breathing through the nose feels constraining, especially at the beginning, breathe through the mouth. If you have a stuffed nose, obviously breathe through the mouth. Your body will adapt over time. The essential thing is to maintain a regular and comfortable rhythm, without forcing. The cardiac coherence effect depends above all on the rhythm (6 breaths per minute), not on which route the air takes.

Cardiac coherence and meditation have common points, but their approach differs fundamentally. Meditation generally aims to calm the mind through observation of thoughts, visualization, or mantras. It can take years to master and the effects depend a lot on your ability to let go. Cardiac coherence, on the other hand, acts directly on your body through a precise breathing rhythm. You don't need to "empty your mind" or reach a particular mental state. You just follow the rhythm, and your physiology responds automatically, from the first session. It's a more mechanical, reproducible, and measurable approach. You can practice cardiac coherence without any meditative experience and get immediate benefits. Some people combine both: they use cardiac coherence to calm their body first, then shift into deeper meditation.

Yes, cardiac coherence is a solidly documented practice with hundreds of scientific studies published since the 1990s. Research shows concrete effects on stress reduction (cortisol decrease up to 23%), blood pressure improvement, sleep quality, mental clarity and concentration. The HeartMath Institute has published numerous studies demonstrating how rhythmic breathing influences heart rate variability, an objective marker of your nervous system's health. It's used in hospitals, schools, high-level sports, and corporate settings. Unlike some wellness practices, cardiac coherence produces measurable effects that can be observed with biofeedback tools that measure your heart rate variability. For scientific sources, you can consult the research section of the HeartMath Institute or search PubMed with "heart rate variability biofeedback".

Cardiac coherence is remarkably safe and accessible to almost everyone. No adverse side effects have been reported in studies. A few precautions though: if you have a pacemaker, you can practice without problems, but the device artificially regulates your rhythm so effects will be different. If you suffer from severe kidney disease, ask your doctor's advice before starting. If you're a beginner and have difficulty breathing slowly, don't force it: start with shallower breaths and progress gradually. If you feel dizziness or palpitations, you're breathing too hard, breathe more gently. In all cases, cardiac coherence never replaces medical treatment, it's a complement that supports.

Absolutely! Cardiac coherence is a powerful tool to improve your performance and speed up your recovery. It helps you better manage pre-competition stress, maintain concentration under pressure, optimize your muscle oxygenation and endurance during effort. After training or competition, it activates your parasympathetic nervous system (the one that calms and regenerates you) for faster recovery, reduces inflammation and improves your sleep, crucial for recovery. Practice 5 minutes about 3 hours before a competition to reduce anxiety, or 1 minute just before. After effort, 5 minutes accelerates your recovery. Many elite athletes, like swimmer Léon Marchand, use it in their preparation.

Yes, absolutely. Cardiac coherence improves your concentration by better oxygenating your brain and reducing the mental noise caused by stress. When your nervous system is unbalanced, your attention easily scatters and you spend more time managing your emotions than focusing on your tasks. A 5-minute session in the morning puts you in good shape for the day. Another at noon, before resuming work, helps you stay focused in the afternoon. It's particularly effective before an important meeting, a presentation, or an intense work moment that requires all your attention. Many people practice discreetly at the office by turning off sound and following only the vibrations. With regular practice, you also develop better resistance to the constant distractions and interruptions of professional daily life.

Yes, cardiac coherence can help reduce pain perception. Studies show a 36% reduction in pain in people suffering from chronic pain. It works by activating your parasympathetic nervous system (the one that calms and regenerates you), which decreases muscle tension and reduces inflammation in your body. It also helps better manage the anxiety and stress that often amplify the sensation of pain. Some hospitals even use it as a complement to treatments for chronic pain management and surgical preparation. Note: cardiac coherence does not replace medical treatment, it's a complementary tool that supports your care.

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24808979/

Yes, it's actually one of its best scientifically documented effects. Cardiac coherence acts directly on your autonomic nervous system, which controls your stress response. By breathing at 6 cycles per minute, you send a signal to your brain that you are safe, which reduces cortisol (stress hormone) production and activates your parasympathetic system (the one that calms you). Studies show up to 46% anxiety reduction with regular practice. It's particularly useful in acute situations (panic attack, intense stress) where you can immediately practice to calm yourself, but also preventively to reduce your baseline anxiety levels over the long term. Some therapists use it as a complement to treatment for anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety and certain phobias.

From the first session, you'll feel concrete effects: your heart rate slows, your breathing becomes deeper and calmer, your muscle tension releases (especially in the shoulders and jaw where stress accumulates). Many people feel a sensation of calm, mental clarity, and better emotional control. These effects appear within minutes and last 4 to 5 hours after a 5-minute session. You may also notice a slight decrease in blood pressure and a feeling of general well-being. About 30% of people don't feel much during the first sessions, but that doesn't mean it's not working: your body is adjusting. With regular practice, sensations become clearer and more pronounced. It's not a placebo: these effects are measurable with biofeedback tools.

With regular practice over several weeks, the benefits accumulate and deepen. Your heart rate variability (an indicator of your nervous system's health) improves durably, which indicates better adaptive capacity to stress. Your baseline blood pressure stabilizes at a lower level. Your sleep quality improves: you fall asleep faster and your nights become more restorative. Your immune system strengthens through cortisol reduction. You develop better emotional regulation: you react less impulsively to stressful situations and recover faster after an emotional shock. Your concentration and mental clarity improve. Some studies even report anti-aging effects through stress reduction, though this requires further research. These transformations become permanent if you maintain a regular practice, ideally 3 sessions of 5 minutes per day.

From the very first session, you can feel immediate calm that lasts a few hours. After 4-5 days of regular practice, measurable improvements appear in your stress and heart rate variability. After 2-3 weeks, the rhythm becomes more natural and automatic: you sleep better, manage your emotions better, are more focused. The first month is crucial to establish the habit and for your body to start transforming durably. After 6 to 8 weeks of regular practice, the effects become really established: your nervous system has adapted, your baseline stress level has dropped, and you better handle the peaks of daily life. But these results depend on your regularity: better one session every day than three sessions some days and nothing others.

Yes, it's one of its most appreciated effects. Cardiac coherence helps you sleep better through several mechanisms. First, it reduces cortisol (stress hormone) that often keeps you awake at night. Then, it activates your parasympathetic system which prepares your body for rest. Finally, it calms your mind by reducing the ruminations that often prevent you from falling asleep. For optimal results, practice a late afternoon session (around 5-6 pm) to release the day's accumulated stress, rather than just before sleeping. If you practice just before bed, use the Relaxation exercise with its 4s/6s rhythm where exhale is longer than inhale, which is particularly calming. With regular practice, your overall sleep quality improves: you fall asleep faster, sleep more deeply, and wake up more rested.

Yes, studies show that cardiac coherence can help reduce blood pressure, with reductions of about 10-15 mmHg systolic in some research. It works by activating your parasympathetic nervous system which dilates blood vessels and slows your heart rate. Daily practice can durably lower your baseline blood pressure. However, important point: if you have hypertension, cardiac coherence should NOT replace your medical treatment. It's an excellent complement that can, in some cases and with your doctor's agreement, allow you to reduce your medications. Always talk to your doctor before modifying a treatment. And if you take blood pressure medications, monitor your pressure regularly as the combined effects might require dosage adjustment.

Yes, indirectly but significantly. Chronic stress is one of the main factors that weaken your immune system: it increases cortisol which suppresses your immune responses. By reducing your stress through regular cardiac coherence practice, you reduce this cortisol and allow your immune system to function better. Some studies show an increase in IgA (immunoglobulin A, an antibody that protects your mucous membranes) after cardiac coherence sessions. Regular practice also improves your sleep quality, which is crucial for your immune system to regenerate. It's not a miracle cure that prevents you from getting sick, but combined with a healthy lifestyle, it contributes to better immunity and better overall resistance.

Because mental health shouldn't be a luxury. Anima is a personal passion, not a business. It was born from a personal need: a simple, effective, beautiful tool to practice cardiac coherence daily. No ads, no hidden subscriptions, no data sold. The app will always remain 100% free with all features accessible to everyone. If you want to support the project, you can leave a review on the App Store or share Anima with those around you. That's it. The goal is to make cardiac coherence accessible to as many people as possible, without financial barriers.

Anima offers 4 types of exercises, each with its own rhythm and purpose. Balance (5s/5s): the classic cardiac coherence rhythm, perfect for any time of day, balances your nervous system. Energy (6s/4s): the inhale is longer than exhale, which slightly activates your sympathetic system (the one that gives you energy), ideal in the morning or before a moment that requires dynamism. Relaxation (4s/6s): the exhale is longer than inhale, which activates your parasympathetic system (the one that calms you), perfect for evening or tense moments. Express: a shorter 3-minute format when you don't have 5 minutes, useful for a quick break. Each exercise lasts 5 minutes (or 3 for Express), the optimal time to reach a deep coherence state.

Anima guides your breathing through 3 complementary senses that you can activate separately or combine according to your preferences. Visual: an animated visual guide that rises during inhale and descends during exhale, you just follow its movement with your breathing. Audio: calming sounds indicate when to inhale and exhale, you can practice with eyes closed. Haptic: gentle vibrations on your phone indicate the rhythm, you can practice discreetly without looking at your screen or listening to sound. Each mode has its advantages: visual is precise and intuitive, audio is relaxing and frees your gaze, haptic is discreet and allows you to practice anywhere without disturbing those around you. You configure in Settings the guides you want to activate.

Successes are achievements that reward your regular practice. Each time you complete an exercise, Anima checks if you've reached a new milestone: number of consecutive days, total minutes practiced, series of exercises, etc. When you unlock a new success, an exclusive photo is added to your collection. These photos can then be used as animated visual backgrounds during your cardiac coherence exercises. There are over 50 successes to unlock in total, each associated with a unique photo. The idea isn't to put pressure on yourself to unlock everything quickly, but to celebrate your progress and offer you inspiring visuals as your regular practice develops.

Photos unlock automatically as you practice. Each time you complete an exercise, the app checks if you've reached a new milestone: number of consecutive days, total minutes practiced, series of exercises, etc. When you cross a new threshold, a photo is added to your collection and becomes available in the gallery. You can then use it as a visual background during your cardiac coherence exercises. There are over 50 exclusive photos to discover in total. The idea isn't to pressure you to unlock everything quickly, but rather to celebrate your progress and offer you inspiring visuals as your regular practice develops. Each unlocked photo is a small victory that recognizes your efforts.

Anima offers you two ways to track your practice. In the Journal tab, you find the complete history of all your exercises with the date, time, and type of exercise performed. It's useful to concretely see your regularity over days and weeks. In the Key Metrics tab, you access more global statistics: your total number of consecutive days, total minutes practiced, your current streak, and other motivating indicators. These two tools allow you to visualize your commitment without pressure, just to see the path traveled. The important thing isn't to have perfect numbers, but to see that you're moving forward, at your own pace.

The ideal is to practice 3 times a day following the 365 protocol: 3 sessions of 5 minutes spread throughout your day. Each session produces effects that last about 4 to 5 hours, so three sessions allow you to cover your entire waking day. But if you're just starting or your schedule doesn't allow it, begin with a single regular daily session. Regularity matters much more than quantity: better to practice once a day every day than three times a day sporadically. Once the habit is established, you can gradually add a second then a third session. The essential thing is to find a rhythm that suits you and that you can maintain over time.

Anima includes a smart notification system that you can activate in Settings. After each exercise, the app waits 4 hours before sending you a discreet reminder for your next session. If you don't practice, it reminds you once a day for a maximum of 3 days, then stops soliciting you to respect your break. The idea is to accompany you without harassing you: notifications are there to help you create a regular routine, but they also know how to fade away if you need to breathe. It's a balance between encouragement and respect for your personal rhythm. You can of course completely disable notifications if you prefer to manage your practice entirely autonomously.

No. Anima doesn't collect any personal data. Your exercise history, your statistics, your settings, everything is stored only on your phone and never leaves it. No data is sent to external servers, there's no account to create, no registration. Your privacy is completely preserved. We have no way of knowing who uses the app, when, or how. This choice is deliberate: your practice is personal and should remain so. The only information that leaves your phone is if you choose to contact us via the contact form, and even then, only what you decide to write to us.

Yes, Anima allows you to export all your data in JSON format. In Settings, you'll find an export option that generates a file containing all your exercise history, your statistics, your unlocked successes, and your settings. You can save this file wherever you want: in your files, in a cloud, send it by email, etc. It's useful if you want to keep a backup, change phones, or simply have a trace of your practice. It's your data, you can do what you want with it. Import is also available if you need to restore your data on a new device.

Yes, the Android version is currently being developed and will be available in the coming months. It's planned to offer the same features and experience as the iOS version. If you want to be notified of the Android release, you can follow the Anima Instagram account where the announcement will be shared. In the meantime, if you know someone on Android who's interested in cardiac coherence, let them know the app is coming!

If you're following Anima's visual or audio guide and breathing at the indicated rhythm, you're doing it right. There's no secret technique, no special position to hold. The only thing to watch is to breathe calmly and comfortably, not forced. If you feel short of breath or tense, you're breathing too deeply: reduce the amplitude and breathe more gently. The goal isn't to fill your lungs to the maximum, but to follow a regular and soothing rhythm. Some signs can indicate it's working: you feel calmer during or right after the exercise, your heart rate slows, your shoulders relax. But even if you don't feel anything particular, it doesn't mean you're doing it wrong. About 30% of people don't feel immediate effects even though their body is still working. Trust the process, follow the guide, and the benefits will come with regularity.