Setll · iPhone app · in design
Five minutes a day, scientifically chosen, to keep you steady.
Setll is a breathing app for people who do not have time to meditate. You pick one time a day; at that time, one button, and the app runs the right breath for five minutes. Nothing to browse, nothing to decide.
What the trials show
In a randomised trial, 108 adults practised five minutes a day for a month. Cyclic sighing, two breaths in then one long breath out, improved mood more than mindfulness meditation, and it was the only practice that lowered resting breathing rate (Balban 2023).
Five minutes is enough: a five-minute session of slow breathing had the same effect on cardiac vagal activity as ten, fifteen or twenty minutes (Laborde 2021). Less is not: in a review of 58 studies, sessions under five minutes were much more common among the interventions that had no effect (Bentley 2023).
We also say what is not known. The same trial found no change in resting heart rate variability over a month. So Setll will not promise to “improve your HRV”.
What the app will do
One time a day, yours
One button, five minutes
Seven days to settle in
A widget, one tap
A streak that does not punish
In the evening, if you want
Where Setll stands
The scope of the first version is decided and a clickable prototype exists. The iPhone app is not built yet. Leave your email to hear when testing opens: that is what decides what comes next.
Questions
What is cyclic sighing?
Two breaths in through the nose, the second a short top-up, then one long, slow breath out through the mouth, repeated for five minutes. In a month-long randomised trial, five minutes a day of cyclic sighing improved mood more than the same time spent in mindfulness meditation, and lowered resting breathing rate.
Why five minutes and not two?
Because that is what the evidence supports. A single five-minute session of slow breathing raised cardiac vagal activity as much as ten, fifteen or twenty minutes did, and in a review of 58 studies, sessions shorter than five minutes were much more common among the interventions that did not work.
How is Setll different from a meditation app?
There is nothing to browse. You open it, press one button, and it runs the breath that suits the moment. One daily time that you choose, one quiet reminder, and no library of courses.
Do I need an Apple Watch?
No. The first version runs on iPhone alone. An Apple Watch version, and an optional reading of Apple Health, are planned after it.
Will it be free?
The daily five-minute practice, the first seven-day programme, the widget and the evening wind-down are planned to stay free. Longer programmes would be paid.
Is breathing a treatment for anxiety?
No. Setll is a wellness app: breathing exercises can help you feel calmer, they do not treat a condition. If you have a heart or respiratory condition, or are pregnant, ask your doctor before starting.
When can I try it?
Setll is in design: the scope is decided and a clickable prototype exists. Leave your email and we will tell you when testing opens.
Sources
- Balban MY, Neri E, Kogon MM, et al. Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 2023;4(1):100895. DOI
- Laborde S, Hosang T, Mosley E, Dosseville F. Single slow-paced breathing session at six cycles per minute: investigation of dose-response relationship on cardiac vagal activity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021;18(23):12478. PubMed
- Bentley TGK, D'Andrea-Penna G, Rakic M, et al. Breathing practices for stress and anxiety reduction: conceptual framework of implementation guidelines based on a systematic review of the published literature. Brain Sciences, 2023;13(12):1612. PubMed
Setll is a wellness app, not a medical device. It does not diagnose or treat any condition.