Medical Disclaimer
ZenTimer times a sitting. It does not diagnose, treat or advise, and no page on this site is a substitute for care from a qualified professional.
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Not Medical Advice
ZenTimer is a free meditation timer online, not a health service. Nothing on this site — the timers, the bells, the written pages or the answers in the questions section — is medical, psychological or therapeutic advice, and nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition.
Talk to a Professional If Any of This Applies to You
Stop and speak to a qualified professional before you rely on anything you read here if:
- you are living with anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma or another mental health condition;
- you have a heart condition, a breathing condition, epilepsy, or any condition that movement, breath work or long stillness could affect;
- you are pregnant, recovering from surgery or injury, or unsure whether sitting practice is safe for you;
- meditation makes you feel worse — more anxious, panicky, detached or flooded with memories;
- you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself. Contact your local emergency number or a crisis line straight away.
Meditation Is Not Risk-Free
Sitting practice is usually calming, but it is not without risk. Long or intense practice, breath-focus techniques and silent retreats are not right for everyone, and a small number of people find that sitting surfaces difficult material. If that happens to you, treat it seriously, stop, and talk to someone qualified rather than pushing through it.
Sound, Volume and Your Hearing
The bells are synthesized in your browser and played at the volume you choose. Keep the volume at a comfortable level, especially with headphones, and lower it — or take it to zero — in shared spaces. Do not rely on the closing bells where missing them would matter.
Stay Aware of Your Surroundings
Do not use the timer while driving, cycling, operating machinery or doing anything else that needs your attention. It is designed to be used sitting still, and its bells are meant to bring you back to the room, not to warn you of anything.
Accuracy and Completeness
The written pages aim to be accurate and are reviewed from time to time, but they are general material written for a wide audience. Lengths, suggestions and statements about research are not tailored to you and may not fit your circumstances. You are welcome to read the underlying work yourself.
External Links
The site links to a small number of outside pages, such as Google's policies on advertising and cookies. Those pages are not under our control and we are not responsible for their content. A link is not an endorsement.
How to Contact Us
If anything here is unclear, or you think a page overstates what meditation can do, write to [email protected] or use the contact page. The rules for using the site are in the terms of use, and our data practices are in the privacy policy.