Average breath hold time: what's normal?

Most people can hold their breath for somewhere between half a minute and a minute and a half at rest. But the number swings widely, and it says much less about you than people think.

The short answer

If you sit quietly, take a normal breath and hold, you'll probably stop somewhere between about 30 seconds and a minute and a half. Many beginners are at the lower end of that range, and that's completely normal. Trained breath-hold athletes can hold for many minutes, but they've spent years practicing under supervision, and their numbers are not a useful comparison for anyone else.

If you want to time yourself, there's a free breath hold timer on this site with a safety check built in. Read the rest of this page first.

Why the numbers vary so much

Breath hold time depends far more on conditions than on any fixed trait. A few that matter:

• How you breathed before. This is the biggest factor. A few deep, fast breaths can lengthen a hold dramatically (see below).
• Inhale or exhale. Holding after breathing in usually lasts longer than after breathing out, simply because there's more air in your lungs.
• How relaxed you are. Tension, talking or moving uses more oxygen and brings the urge on sooner.
• Where you stop. Some people stop at the first urge; others push on through discomfort. Two people with the same body can get very different numbers this way.
• Practice. Many people find their holds lengthen with regular, calm practice, largely because they get used to the sensations.
• Time of day, food, sleep and posture. All of these shift the result.

Researchers studying the breaking point of a breath hold describe it as the product of many signals at once: carbon dioxide and oxygen levels, lung volume, the stretch of the breathing muscles, and the mind's tolerance for the urge to breathe. A review in Experimental Physiology by Parkes (2006) summarizes this well, and notes that for most people at rest a hold lasts around a minute. That's why a hold time is a rough, personal number rather than a measurement of anything specific.

Why fast breathing changes everything

The urge to breathe is driven mainly by rising carbon dioxide, not falling oxygen. Breathing deeply and quickly before a hold blows off carbon dioxide, so the urge takes longer to arrive. That's why holds after power-breathing rounds can be several times longer than a normal hold.

The catch: you don't store a matching amount of extra oxygen. Your blood is already almost fully saturated when you breathe normally. So after fast breathing, oxygen can fall low enough to make you faint before carbon dioxide has risen enough to warn you. This is why holds after hyperventilation are risky, and why they must never be done in or near water. In water, fainting can mean drowning, even for strong swimmers.

How to time a hold safely

1. Sit or lie down. Somewhere you could slump safely.
2. Breathe normally for a minute. No deep breaths or fast breathing beforehand if you want a baseline.
3. Hold after a normal breath out, or a normal breath in. Choose one and stick with it each time, so you're comparing like with like.
4. Stop at the first strong urge to breathe. Not at your limit.
5. Rest at least a minute before trying again. Two or three holds is enough.

Never test yourself in water, while driving, or standing. If you're pregnant or have a heart, lung or seizure condition, talk to a doctor first. The breathwork safety guide covers the rest.

Comparing with yourself, not others

Instead of asking whether your number is good, ask whether it's changing under the same conditions, and whether you can stay calm through the hold. That's information you can actually use.

Simple Breathwork records a per-round summary of every hold, and over time your personal records and analytics show your best hold, average hold and weekly practice. With Apple Health turned on, the summary can also show your average heart rate during each hold, which some people find interesting to watch as their practice develops. None of these is a diagnostic measure, and the app isn't a medical device.

If you'd like a structured way to practice holds, the breath retention page explains how guided rounds work, from power breaths to the exhale hold and recovery breath.

Source

Parkes MJ. Breath-holding and its breakpoint. Experimental Physiology. 2006;91(1):1–15. doi:10.1113/expphysiol.2005.031625

General wellness information, not medical advice. Simple Breathwork is not a medical device. Breathing exercises and breath holds can cause dizziness, tingling or fainting: practice seated or lying down, never in or near water, while driving or standing. If you are pregnant or have a heart, lung, seizure or other health condition, talk to a doctor first.