Breathing Exercises with Personality—an explorative case study
Problem
Breathing apps are functional but emotionally flat. The category defaults to clinical minimalism that works but doesn't create any connection to the practice.
Solution
Replace abstract UI with character-driven animation. Each breathing technique gets a distinct character whose shape and motion communicate rhythm without instruction.
Impact
Currently in development. Exploring whether emotional design can make breathing exercises feel more approachable and memorable. Design principles validated through competitive analysis and personal use testing. Prototype planned for peer testing.
Kick-off
Breathing apps work. They're also forgettable.
Open any top-rated breathing app and you'll find the same interaction: an expanding circle, a gradient, maybe a gentle pulse. It's calm. It's functional. It's also completely interchangeable.
I started this project with a question: What if a breathing app created an emotional anchor to the practice through visual design?
Insights
The Landscape
The iOS App Store has hundreds of breathing apps. Most share the same problems.
Headspace buries breathing inside a massive content library. The exercises work, but finding them feels like navigating a course catalog.
Breathwrk is dedicated to breathing, but layers on achievements, technique catalogs, and instructional content. Lots of friction. It's also behind a subscription paywall.
iBreathe strips it back to basics, but basics means the same gradient expanding circle everyone else uses. Functional, not memorable.
The pattern: Overemphasis on function, with emotional design being an afterthought.
Ideating
The Hypothesis
Emotional design can make a breathing exercise feel supportive (and delightful) by embedding emotional feedback directly into shape, motion, and character.
Exploration
Communicating through Shape
The first design question: how might shape and motion communicate technique without relying on text or counting?
I started with box breathing—a technique with four equal phases: inhale, hold, exhale, hold. The obvious candidate was… well, a box.
The idea was to use the shape to imply both theme and rhythm. Having the shape expand, or breathe, could teach the user how to breathe with it.
Early conceptualization and wireframes
Adding Character
Designing for Emotional Feedback
The next question was how the system should feel during use. Breathing exercises are often used in vulnerable moments, when attention is limited and reassurance matters more than explanation.
I explored characters as a way to introduce emotional feedback without adding complexity.
So I gave the breathing box a face.
Subtle expressions reinforce the breathing cycle: eyes close during the exhale, soft blinks during the holds. These cues align with the rhythm and provide subtle feedback.
Just a lil' guy.
Communicating Change
Character States
Our character's expressions are mapped directly to the breathing cycle. Each visual state reinforces the current phase, allowing progress to be understood at a glance.
Idle — Eyes open, smile. Signals readiness to begin.
Inhale — Eyes widen slightly as the shape expands, reinforcing intake.
Hold — A soft blink maintains presence without implying action.
Exhale — Eyes close as the shape contracts, signaling release.
Complete — A relaxed, positive expression marks completion.
The character functions as a state indicator rather than just decoration. Users can infer where they are in the cycle by expression alone, reducing reliance on text, counting, or timers.
Experimental character states
Mapping the Experience
Interaction Model: Part I
Early on in the process I decided to take a minimalistic approach to the UI. I believe that intentional design = good design. Solid foundations and thoughtful use of primitives beats complexity.
With this in mind, the overall user experience is intentionally minimal. Users swipe left and right to choose an exercise. Each exercise is visually distinct with its own color profile and mascot.
In the current iteration, users select a breath count from a single control at the top of the screen. The estimated session time updates automatically, removing the need for additional decisions or mental math.
The goal is to let users commit quickly, then transition into the exercise without friction.
Breathing exercises on the home screen
Experience flow in high fidelity
To be continued…
This case study is under construction. Please check back soon.