Safety first
Never practise breath holding in water, in the bath or while driving. Don’t take lots of fast deep breaths before the test (hyperventilation): it weakens the “time to breathe” signal and can lead to blacking out. Do the test sitting or lying down. If you have heart, lung or vascular conditions or are pregnant, check with your doctor.
How to take the test
- Sit comfortably and breathe calmly for 1–2 minutes.
- Take a normal deep breath — don’t over-inflate.
- Tap Start and hold your breath.
- As soon as you feel a strong urge to breathe or discomfort, breathe and tap Stop.
The goal is not a record at any cost but self-observation. Compare results taken in similar conditions: the same time of day, after the same amount of rest.
What affects your result
- Relaxation. Tense muscles use oxygen faster, and anxiety strengthens the urge to breathe.
- CO₂ sensitivity. The urge to breathe is driven mainly by rising carbon dioxide, not by a lack of oxygen.
- Fitness and practice. Untrained adults typically hold for somewhere between half a minute and a minute and a half after a calm breath; freedivers manage several minutes, but only after specialised, supervised training.
- Meals and exercise. Results are lower straight after eating or exercising.
How to use the result
Regular breathing practice such as box breathing helps you tolerate holds better and react more calmly to discomfort. The Cabe test is a convenient weekly check on how you are doing. It is a playful test, not a medical diagnosis.