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I’m always skeptical when a web browser claims to help with mental relaxation. But Opera’s new Air browser was surprisingly useful, integrating handy tools for focus, meditation, exercises, and more.
You might not feel your stress melt away, but Opera Air is absolutely worth using.
Opera Air Is a Browser Built For Relaxation and Mindfulness
I’m sure your first question is, “What is a mindfulness” browser? That was absolutely mine when I was first offered an early version of Opera Air.
In short,Opera Airhas interesting relaxation-focused features designed to help you unwind during the day. In January 2025,Opera launched a new hygge-focused concept, embracing coziness and calm. Now, Opera Air continues those Scandinavian vibes with a minimalist design and apps for concentration, focus, relaxation, exercise, and more.
But before you dismiss this as a gimmick, there are a couple of points to note. First, Opera Air ships with Opera’s other great tools, such as its integrated VPN, ad-blocking, tab collections, Aria AI, and so on. So, switching to Opera Air isn’t “relaxation or productivity.” You get it all in a single package.
Second, coming from someone skeptical about so-called mindfulness techniques, I’ve found Opera Air genuinely useful. I’ve previously used binaural beats to help with focus and concentration, and it’s useful to have these integrated into the browser for quick access. Another feature I found useful was the “Take a Break” timer. When I get super focused, I forget to stand up for hours at a time, which is a terrible habit. A small prompt to take a break, stretch my legs, and generally adjust my posture was more than welcome.
Use These Opera Air Tools For Focus, Productivity, Relaxation, and More
I was lucky enough to receive a pre-release Opera Air build before launch, so I’ve had some time to explore its new features in detail.
Binaural Audio Boosts
Opera frames its binaural audio integrations as Boosts, designed to stimulate your brain in different ways. Binaural beats broadcast different audio frequencies between your ears to create what amounts to an audio illusion. When used correctly, it prompts your brain to create a new, unique frequency or beat, which, depending on the original input frequencies, can aid relaxation, concentration, focus, clarity, and so on. Furthermore, binaural beats affect each listener differently, so what I hear and feel from a specific combination could be different from my wife, kids, etc.
Opera’s Boosts have three elements: a lo-fi-style music track, a background ambient track, and a binaural frequency. For example, the Optimal Brain Function Boost has a 40Hz gamma wave, plays “Winter Rain in Oak Forest” as its ambient track (there are others to choose from), and moves through the 64-track playlist. you’re able to set the Boosts to play for 15, 30, 60, or 90 minutes or an unlimited period if you’re really into it.
you may also adjust the volume of each element within the Boost. Want more emphasis on the binaural frequency? Crank it up. There is also the option to adjust the type of frequency you’re listening to.
I rarely listen to music with lyrics while I work. I have enormous playlists with chilled, focused electronic music and similar frequency-focused audio to help my concentration during the day. This is why I found Opera Air’s Boosts a really useful and quick way to get into the zone without leaving the browser.
Take a Break
I’m not particularly good at taking a break from work, standing up, and moving around. Although I occasionally use a standing desk, I’m more likely to move around when prompted. Opera Air’s Take a Break mode gently nudges you to get up and move with a small prompt every 45-180 minutes (adjustable).
That said, it’s not all about moving away from your desk. Take a Break offers four different exercises, each designed to reduce stress, increase focus, and so on. The exercises are relatively short, with the longest being the Full Body Scan, which takes up to 15 minutes. Once you click through, each option has specific exercise types, allowing you to tailor the time and voice guide for better focus.
The benefit you get from these exercises really depends on what you put into them. I enjoyed the 4-10 minute Neck Exercise, as that’s often a source of discomfort during long periods hunched over the keyboard. So, selecting the Unwind or Pain Relief option delivers a four or five-minute guided stretch that helps to relieve tension. I will add that the camera option didn’t appear to work or do anything, but that may well change in the future as new Opera Air versions launch.
But more than anything, taking just a short break and focusing on something different works wonders for productivity, and having some guided meditation and gentle movement is a fantastic pick-me-up.
I Was Surprisingly Focused After Using Opera Air
Maybe it’s just that Opera Air offers something different in a world of ultra-productivity-focused browsers and workspaces, but I was actually focused while using Opera’s new browser. I enjoyed the variety of Boosts available, and while your mileage will vary, they definitely have a positive effect on me.
In combination with the short breaks, meditation, and stretching guided by the Take a Break mode, I found myself more focused while working, returning to my tasks and cracking on rather than muddling about with Reddit, games, or otherwise.
There are some parts I wasn’t so sure about, mind. The giant bubbles in the browser background exemplify this; I get that Opera is trying to show the concept of “air,” but they looked a little odd to me. I’m also not a fan of a video-based background—too distracting in a relaxation browser.
The only real way for you to find out is to giveOpera Aira try!
