Soluklan

Guide

How to use the app step by step, what every feature does and how each technique is performed.

START HERE

The three most useful articles

  • Getting the most out of the app

    Two people use the same app and get very different results from it. The ten things that make the difference, and how to do each of them.

  • Your first session, start to finish

    Every step from opening the app for the first time to reading your first report. What you are asked, why you are asked it, and what to do where.

  • Choosing a technique and a length

    What the marks on the technique list mean, what the lit band on the length slider is for, and the round selector that replaces length in Kapalabhati.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Short answers

Under every answer there is a link to the article that covers it in full.

Do I need the microphone, can I turn it off?

You don't need it. With the microphone on, the app hears your breath, measures how closely you follow the rhythm and gives you a score. With it off, the circle, the rhythm, the haptics, your streak, milestones and programs all work exactly the same — only the score isn't worked out. You can tap "Continue without the microphone" when a session starts, or turn it off completely in Settings.

More: If your breath isn't being heard →

Is audio recorded?

No. The microphone runs only during a session and only the instant sound level is worked out from it — no audio file is written to disk. The one exception is the audio sample sharing you give separate permission for. If you haven't turned that on, audio is never recorded in any session.

More: Managing your data →

My breath isn't being heard, what should I do?

In order: hold the device 20-30 cm from your mouth, don't cover the microphone, pick a quiet place, and don't move while it says "Measuring the room" at the start of a session. Don't force your breath to make it louder — that doesn't fix the measurement, it spoils it.

More: If your breath isn't being heard →

How is the score worked out?

Seven separate measurements are combined: rhythm match, exhales heard, exhale length, inhale, breath volume, how smooth the exhale was, and whether you completed the session. They don't all carry the same weight; the largest share goes to rhythm match.

More: How a session is scored →

I got a low score, am I doing it wrong?

A low score doesn't mean you are breathing wrong. The score only measures how closely you followed the pace on screen — not whether the breathing did you good. And the measurement relies on the microphone: sitting far from the device, or a noisy room, can make a perfectly good session look low. Tap "Detailed report" and you'll see which measurement dropped and what to fix.

More: Reading your session report →

How many minutes should a session be?

Even two minutes helps. The lit band on the length slider is the range suggested for you: it shifts with your experience, your recent sessions, the time of day and your streak. A short session you finish beats a long one you abandon, by every measure.

More: Choosing a technique and a length →

See all
Why are techniques locked, and how do they open?

The path runs from easy to hard: you start with techniques that have no hold, move on to holds, then to the advanced ones. Tap a locked card and it tells you what is needed and the shortest way there. If you marked your experience level high in the intake, most locks are open from the start.

More: Unlocking techniques →

Which technique should I do when?

4-7-8 or Extended Exhale before sleep, Box or Triangle during a work break, Physiological Sigh for sudden tension, Energizing Breath or Right Nostril when you feel dull. If you can't decide, take the suggestion at the top of the list: it is chosen from your goal, the time of day and your recent sessions.

More: Which technique, and when →

How does the streak work, and what if I miss a day?

The streak counts how many days in a row you did a session. Missing a day resets it, but your longest streak stays on record and a new streak starts the next day. Doing several sessions in one day doesn't speed the streak up: it counts days, not sessions.

More: Streak, milestones and the calendar →

I'm taking a break for a while — is my streak safe?

Yes. Turn on Settings → Notification options → Holiday mode: notifications go quiet until the date you set and your streak is preserved. One warning: holiday mode ends an active program, because a program keeps counting days. The app asks you about this before switching to holiday mode.

More: Streak, milestones and the calendar →

What is a program, and how is it different from a streak?

A streak asks "did you do something today"; a program asks "how many days have you done the same technique for the same length". The measured effects come from the second one. The first program is twenty-eight days, five minutes a day — that is the length used in the study the program is based on.

More: Setting up a program and keeping it →

What if I miss a day in a program?

Missing one day doesn't break the program. If you start missing days in a row the app warns you, and after a certain number the program ends. An ended program isn't deleted: it goes to your history, and how far you got stays there.

More: Setting up a program and keeping it →

Where is my data, and will it show on my other device?

Your session history is kept on your device, and if iCloud is on it syncs in your own iCloud account — so when you sign in on another device your history is there. We have no developer access to that area. Your profile and settings sync too.

More: Managing your data →

Do I need an internet connection?

No. Sessions, measurement, scoring, programs and notifications all run on the device. The internet is used only for iCloud sync and — if you turned it on — anonymous sharing.

Are there in-app purchases or a subscription?

No. There is nothing sold inside the app and no subscription.

Why do you ask about age and health?

Some techniques involve long holds and fast breathing. If you have a health note, those techniques drop to the bottom of the list and a warning appears next to them. If your age falls in certain ranges, the suggested lengths and round limits change. Both answers are optional and both never leave your device — they are never sent.

More: What your suggestions depend on →

What should I do if I feel dizzy during a session?

Stop and go back to your normal breathing. Dizziness, tingling or your vision dimming are not symptoms to push through. If you are in a technique with a long hold, you can skip the hold or shorten it.

Which techniques can I do with asthma, a heart condition or in pregnancy?

If you mark these in the intake, the app moves the riskier techniques to the bottom, shows a warning and lowers some of the limits. Even so, this is not a medical assessment: in these situations, talk to your doctor before starting any exercise.

I'm getting too many notifications, how do I cut them down?

In Settings → Notification options every kind can be turned off separately. You can cap how many arrive in a day, set hours when you don't want to be disturbed, or switch them all off. The app works completely without notifications.

More: Reminders and notifications →

The app feels too busy, or too bare

In Settings → Interface you can move between three levels: Simple, Standard and Advanced. No feature is switched off; only how much information you see changes.

More: Making the interface simpler or fuller →

How do I add a widget?

Touch and hold an empty spot on your phone's (or tablet's) Home Screen, tap the plus at the top left and pick Soluklan from the list. For the Lock Screen, touch and hold the clock and go into Customize. Tapping the widget takes you straight to choosing a technique.

More: Widgets and Live Activity →

How do I delete all my data?

At the bottom of the Profile page there is a Delete my data button. If you confirm, your session history, streak, achievements, heart rate records and intake answers are deleted. It can't be undone. If you want records you shared anonymously deleted as well, writing to the support address is enough.

More: Managing your data →