About the Meditation Timer
This meditation timer keeps time so you don’t have to. Set how long you want to sit, add a short warm-up to settle in before the starting bell, and choose optional interval bells — for example every 5 minutes — to bring your attention back or mark a change of practice. A soft bell rings at the start, at each interval and three times at the end.
If you like a background sound, switch on gentle brown, pink or white noise, generated live in your browser to mask distractions such as traffic or a noisy office. The planner shows exactly when each bell will ring, the total time including warm-up, and how many minutes you would practise over a week or a month at this length.
It suits breath-focused, body-scan, loving-kindness and open-awareness practice, as well as simple quiet rest. If you are new to meditation, short daily sessions of 5 to 10 minutes are easier to keep up than occasional long ones. Meditation can support wellbeing but is not a substitute for treatment of anxiety, depression or other conditions.
With the default inputs, the total time including warm-up is 10m 30s. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the meditation timer
- 1Choose how many minutes you want to meditate.
- 2Set a short warm-up so you can settle before the starting bell.
- 3Add interval bells if you want gentle reminders during the session.
- 4Pick silence or an ambient sound, then press Start.
- 5Sit comfortably and rest until the three ending bells ring.
Formula and method
The timer first counts down the warm-up, giving you time to sit down and settle; the starting bell then marks the beginning of the meditation itself. Interval bells ring at every whole multiple of the interval that falls strictly inside the session, so a 10-minute sit with 5-minute intervals has one interval bell at the halfway point — the bell at 10 minutes is the ending bell, not an interval bell.
Weekly practice is the session length times the number of sessions per week, and the 30-day figure scales that by 30 ÷ 7. Times in the schedule are measured from pressing Start, with the meditation-elapsed column measured from the starting bell.
- warm-up
- Seconds of settling-in time before the starting bell
- every
- Minutes between interval bells (0 for none)
Worked examples
10 minutes with a 30-second warm-up and 5-minute bells
The session takes 30 s + 600 s = 630 s (10 min 30 s). Bells ring at 0:30 (start), 5:30 (interval) and 10:30 (end). Seven sessions a week is 70 minutes, or 5 hours over 30 days.
20-minute sit, bells every 4 minutes, 5 days a week
Interval bells ring at 4, 8, 12 and 16 minutes; the 20-minute mark is the ending bell. With a 1-minute warm-up the whole session lasts 21 minutes, and five sessions make 100 minutes a week.
5 minutes, no warm-up or interval bells
A simple 5-minute session has just a starting and an ending bell, 300 seconds apart. Daily practice adds up to 35 minutes a week.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I meditate as a beginner?+
Many teachers suggest starting with 5 to 10 minutes a day. Consistency matters more than length — a short daily session builds the habit, and you can add a few minutes each week as sitting becomes easier.
What are interval bells for?+
Interval bells gently bring your attention back if your mind has wandered, or mark a switch between practices — for example from breath focus to a body scan. Some people use them to change posture during long sits.
Why use a warm-up before the bell?+
A warm-up gives you time to press Start, sit down, adjust your posture and take a few settling breaths, so the timed meditation begins when you are actually ready rather than while you are still moving.
Is background noise good for meditation?+
It is a personal choice. Steady brown, pink or white noise can mask unpredictable sounds like traffic or voices, which some people find less distracting. Others prefer silence and practise noticing sounds as part of the meditation.
Will the timer work if my screen locks?+
Keep this tab open and your device awake for the most reliable bells. Some phones pause web audio and timers when the screen locks, so disable auto-lock or keep the screen on during your session.
This tool gives general estimates and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or qualified professional about your health, diet or training.