The phrase "stop for breath" is often used to convey taking a pause or break during an endeavored activity to catch one's breath or relax. Several equivalent expressions for this phrase could be "take a breather," "pause for a moment," "rest briefly," "catch a second wind," "recharge," or "take five." These phrases may be used interchangeably to convey the same meaning, depending on the context in which they're used. Ultimately these synonyms are all used as a means to take a break in order to re-energize, refresh, and continue activity at a later time.