diff --git a/component/statusbar.go b/component/statusbar.go
index 18c9d70..a109f86 100644
--- a/component/statusbar.go
+++ b/component/statusbar.go
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	bindingsIndent = 3
 	pauseText      = "  P A U S E D  "
+	bindingsIndent = 3
 )
 
 type StatusBar struct {
diff --git a/data/sampler.go b/data/sampler.go
index 6bdff16..12022f6 100644
--- a/data/sampler.go
+++ b/data/sampler.go
@@ -12,24 +12,28 @@ type Sampler struct {
 	triggers        []*Trigger
 	triggersChannel chan *Sample
 	variables       []string
+	pause           bool
 }
 
-func NewSampler(consumer *Consumer, items []*Item, triggers []*Trigger, options config.Options, fileVariables map[string]string, rateMs int) Sampler {
+func NewSampler(consumer *Consumer, items []*Item, triggers []*Trigger, options config.Options, fileVariables map[string]string, rateMs int) *Sampler {
 
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(time.Duration(rateMs * int(time.Millisecond)))
 
-	sampler := Sampler{
+	sampler := &Sampler{
 		consumer,
 		items,
 		triggers,
 		make(chan *Sample),
 		mergeVariables(fileVariables, options.Environment),
+		false,
 	}
 
 	go func() {
 		for ; true; <-ticker.C {
 			for _, item := range sampler.items {
-				go sampler.sample(item, options)
+				if !sampler.pause {
+					go sampler.sample(item, options)
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}()
@@ -39,7 +43,9 @@ func NewSampler(consumer *Consumer, items []*Item, triggers []*Trigger, options
 			select {
 			case sample := <-sampler.triggersChannel:
 				for _, t := range sampler.triggers {
-					t.Execute(sample)
+					if !sampler.pause {
+						t.Execute(sample)
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -77,3 +83,7 @@ func mergeVariables(fileVariables map[string]string, optionsVariables []string)
 
 	return result
 }
+
+func (s *Sampler) Pause(pause bool) {
+	s.pause = pause
+}
diff --git a/event/handler.go b/event/handler.go
index f658a56..da8aa11 100644
--- a/event/handler.go
+++ b/event/handler.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sqshq/sampler/component/layout"
 	"github.com/sqshq/sampler/config"
 	"github.com/sqshq/sampler/console"
+	"github.com/sqshq/sampler/data"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -13,21 +14,23 @@ const (
 )
 
 type Handler struct {
+	samplers      []*data.Sampler
+	options       config.Options
 	layout        *layout.Layout
 	renderTicker  *time.Ticker
 	consoleEvents <-chan ui.Event
 	renderRate    time.Duration
-	options       config.Options
 }
 
-func NewHandler(layout *layout.Layout, options config.Options) *Handler {
+func NewHandler(samplers []*data.Sampler, options config.Options, layout *layout.Layout) *Handler {
 	renderRate := calcMinRenderRate(layout)
 	return &Handler{
+		samplers:      samplers,
+		options:       options,
 		layout:        layout,
 		consoleEvents: ui.PollEvents(),
 		renderTicker:  time.NewTicker(renderRate),
 		renderRate:    renderRate,
-		options:       options,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -71,10 +74,19 @@ func (h *Handler) handleModeChange(m layout.Mode) {
 	switch m {
 	case layout.ModeDefault:
 		h.renderTicker = time.NewTicker(h.renderRate)
+		h.pause(false)
 	case layout.ModePause:
+		h.pause(true)
 		// proceed with stopped timer
 	default:
 		h.renderTicker = time.NewTicker(console.MinRenderInterval)
+		h.pause(false)
+	}
+}
+
+func (h *Handler) pause(pause bool) {
+	for _, s := range h.samplers {
+		s.Pause(pause)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 71528be..f2a6d1c 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -30,40 +30,42 @@ type Starter struct {
 	cfg     config.Config
 }
 
-func (s *Starter) startAll() {
+func (s *Starter) startAll() []*data.Sampler {
+	samplers := make([]*data.Sampler, 0)
 	for _, c := range s.cfg.RunCharts {
 		cpt := runchart.NewRunChart(c, s.palette)
-		s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, c.Items, c.Triggers)
+		samplers = append(samplers, s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, c.Items, c.Triggers))
 	}
 	for _, c := range s.cfg.SparkLines {
 		cpt := sparkline.NewSparkLine(c, s.palette)
-		s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, []config.Item{c.Item}, c.Triggers)
+		samplers = append(samplers, s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, []config.Item{c.Item}, c.Triggers))
 	}
 	for _, c := range s.cfg.BarCharts {
 		cpt := barchart.NewBarChart(c, s.palette)
-		s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, c.Items, c.Triggers)
+		samplers = append(samplers, s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, c.Items, c.Triggers))
 	}
 	for _, c := range s.cfg.Gauges {
 		cpt := gauge.NewGauge(c, s.palette)
-		s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, []config.Item{c.Cur, c.Min, c.Max}, c.Triggers)
+		samplers = append(samplers, s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, []config.Item{c.Cur, c.Min, c.Max}, c.Triggers))
 	}
 	for _, c := range s.cfg.AsciiBoxes {
 		cpt := asciibox.NewAsciiBox(c, s.palette)
-		s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, []config.Item{c.Item}, c.Triggers)
+		samplers = append(samplers, s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, []config.Item{c.Item}, c.Triggers))
 	}
 	for _, c := range s.cfg.TextBoxes {
 		cpt := textbox.NewTextBox(c, s.palette)
-		s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, []config.Item{c.Item}, c.Triggers)
+		samplers = append(samplers, s.start(cpt, cpt.Consumer, c.ComponentConfig, []config.Item{c.Item}, c.Triggers))
 	}
+	return samplers
 }
 
-func (s *Starter) start(drawable ui.Drawable, consumer *data.Consumer, componentConfig config.ComponentConfig, itemsConfig []config.Item, triggersConfig []config.TriggerConfig) {
+func (s *Starter) start(drawable ui.Drawable, consumer *data.Consumer, componentConfig config.ComponentConfig, itemsConfig []config.Item, triggersConfig []config.TriggerConfig) *data.Sampler {
 	cpt := component.NewComponent(drawable, consumer, componentConfig)
 	triggers := data.NewTriggers(triggersConfig, consumer, s.opt, s.player)
 	items := data.NewItems(itemsConfig, *componentConfig.RateMs)
-	data.NewSampler(consumer, items, triggers, s.opt, s.cfg.Variables, *componentConfig.RateMs)
 	s.lout.AddComponent(cpt)
 	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond) // desync coroutines
+	return data.NewSampler(consumer, items, triggers, s.opt, s.cfg.Variables, *componentConfig.RateMs)
 }
 
 func main() {
@@ -103,9 +105,9 @@ func main() {
 
 	metadata.PersistStatistics(cfg)
 	starter := &Starter{player, lout, palette, opt, *cfg}
-	starter.startAll()
+	samplers := starter.startAll()
 
-	handler := event.NewHandler(lout, opt)
+	handler := event.NewHandler(samplers, opt, lout)
 	handler.HandleEvents()
 }