20-Minute Meditation Timer
Twenty quiet minutes, with a gentle chime at the halfway point and a closing bell.
About this 20-minute meditation timer
Twenty minutes is a deeper meditation session — long enough that initial restlessness usually subsides and the practice settles into something more sustained. This timer includes a gentle chime at the 10-minute halfway mark, which can serve as a useful waypoint without breaking the silence.
How to use this meditation timer
- Sit somewhere quiet, on a chair or cushion. Spine upright but not stiff.
- Close your eyes or soften your gaze toward the floor a few feet ahead.
- Press Start. The timer holds the silence; a gentle bell marks the end.
- Settle attention on the breath. When the mind wanders, return — that's the practice, not a failure of it.
What to do if your mind keeps wandering
Notice the wandering, label it gently ("thinking"), and return attention to the breath. Do this five hundred times per session if necessary. The point of meditation isn't a quiet mind — it's the repeated, kind return to the present after noticing you've left it. The wandering and returning is the practice.
Other meditation lengths
Try 5-minute meditation, 10-minute meditation — or the box breathing timer for guided 4-4-4-4 breath cycles when sitting still feels hard.
Tips
- Daily beats long. 5 minutes every day will change your relationship with attention more than 30 minutes once a week.
- Time of day matters less than consistency. Pick a time you can actually keep, even on busy days.
- Posture should be alert but relaxed. Slouching invites drowsiness; rigidity invites tension.
- If you're sleepy, open the eyes slightly. Meditation isn't a nap — though sometimes it accidentally becomes one.
Frequently asked questions
Is 20 minutes of meditation better than 10?
Not necessarily 'better' — different. 20 minutes allows deeper settling for experienced meditators. 10 minutes daily often produces more total benefit than 20 minutes a few times a week, because consistency matters more than session length.
How do I meditate for 20 minutes without getting bored?
Boredom is part of the practice — sit with it, notice it, return to the breath. If 20 minutes feels too long, start with 10 minutes and add 5 minutes every two weeks until 20 feels natural.
Can I do 20 minutes of meditation twice a day?
Yes — Transcendental Meditation (TM) is built on this exact pattern, and many secular practices use a similar structure. For most people, once-daily 20-minute sessions are plenty; twice daily tends to suit people with high stress or specific contemplative practices.
What does the halfway chime do?
The gentle chime at 10 minutes is a quiet waypoint — useful for noticing how the second half feels different from the first, without breaking the session into two separate halves.