Opera releases Opera Air, a browser focused on mindfulness and mental health
On February 4, 2025,
Opera introduces a new web browser: Opera Air - Blog | Opera News
https://blogs.opera.com/news/2025/02/opera-air-browser/
Opera launches Opera Air – a new browser to boost your wellbeing - Opera Newsroom
https://press.opera.com/2025/02/04/opera-air-browser/
Opera's new browser might save you from doomscrolling | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/605702/opera-air-mindfulness-browser-breaks-ambient-binaural-breathing-exercises
Opera Air comes with a host of tools to improve mindfulness and make your browsing sessions more enjoyable and relaxing. Opera explains that 'Opera Air allows you to take mindful breaks during the day, allowing you to reflect on your emotions, acknowledge your sensations, and distance yourself from them when necessary.'
The 'Take a Break' feature gives you access to a variety of exercises that can help you achieve mindfulness and improve your mood. The feature is located in the sidebar and can be used to take one or more breaks at any time throughout the day. You can also launch 'Take a Break' using the keyboard shortcuts 'Ctrl + K' or 'Cmd + K'.
The 'Take a Break' feature has four functions:
◆Breathing exercises
'Breathing Exercises' is a feature that helps reduce stress and blood pressure: 'Nothing is more important than stopping and taking a breath every now and then. Fresh air is always helpful,' Opera explains.
◆Neck exercises
'Neck Exercises' is a function to relieve tension and reduce pain. 'By taking a little time each day to stretch and exercise your neck, you can easily relax.'
◆Meditation sessions
'Meditation' is a function that allows you to improve your focus, awareness, and mindfulness in a relaxed state. Opera explains that 'meditation is a powerful tool that helps you live in the moment without being distracted by many thoughts and emotions.'
◆Full Body Scans
The Full Body Scan is a feature that helps you make a deeper connection between your mind and body. It is a guided routine that literally focuses on different parts of your body and helps you become aware of how you are feeling in the moment, providing moments of relaxation and self-awareness that over time can help you manage stressful situations.
Each function in 'Take a Break' can be performed with audio guidance, and both male and female guides are available, allowing users to choose their own guide.
The 'Boost' feature allows you to play binaural beats, a clever auditory technique that plays two slightly different frequencies in each ear. By using 'Boost,' your brain can induce various mental states such as relaxation and concentration. There are three sound sources that can be played: 'Creativity Boost' to accelerate creativity, 'Energized Focus' to increase concentration, and 'Deep Relaxation' to relieve stress.
'Boosts' are more than just background music for your browser; they consist of a music track, an ambient sound, and a binaural beat. You can adjust the levels of the three components to, for example, create a quiet music track and a loud ambient sound, or change the frequency of the binaural beats. Various settings can be adjusted by moving the sliders at the top of the interface. All 'Boosts' are set to run for 30 minutes by default, but this can be freely changed from 15 minutes to infinity.
In addition, Opera Air displays a 'Quote of the Day' at the bottom of the main browser screen. The quotes displayed can be shuffled, hidden, or shared. Below is an example of a quote that is displayed.
Mohamed Salah, senior director at Opera, said of the development of Opera Air, 'The web is beautiful, but it can also be chaotic and overwhelming. We decided to look at science-based ways to help users navigate the web more comfortably and efficiently.'
Creating Opera Air: Why We Built the First Mindful Browser - YouTube
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