Randomized controlled trial · 2023
5 minutes of sighing a day lifts your mood
For one month, more than a hundred volunteers practiced 5 minutes a day of either a breathing exercise (cyclic sighing, box breathing or controlled hyperventilation) or mindfulness meditation. The breathing exercises, especially exhale-focused cyclic sighing, improved mood and slowed resting breathing more than meditation did.
For you : The physiological sigh, two inhales then a long exhale, was the most effective exercise in this study. Physiological sigh →
Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal
Balban, Neri, Kogon et al., Cell Reports Medicine, 2023 · Stanford University
Meta-analysis · 2023
Guided breathing lowers perceived stress
The researchers pooled published randomized trials on breathing exercises, 785 adults in total. On average, people who practiced felt less stressed, less anxious and less depressed than comparison groups. The effect is small to moderate, and the authors call for more, and more rigorous, studies.
For you : Regular practice, even short, matters more than a perfect technique. Coherent breathing →
Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials
Fincham, Strauss, Montero-Marin et al., Scientific Reports, 2023 · University of Sussex and University of Oxford
Systematic review and meta-analysis · 2022
Slow breathing engages the nervous system’s “brake”
Analyzing 223 studies, the authors show that slow breathing increases heart rate variability linked to the parasympathetic nervous system, the one in charge of rest and recovery. The effect shows up during the exercise, right after it, and after several weeks of practice. They describe it as a simple, low-cost technique with few expected side effects.
For you : That is the principle of coherent breathing: about 6 breaths per minute. Coherent breathing →
Effects of voluntary slow breathing on heart rate and heart rate variability: A systematic review and a meta-analysis
Laborde, Allen, Borges et al., Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2022 · German Sport University Cologne
Systematic review · 2018
What slow breathing changes in body and brain
This review of 15 studies describes the effects of slow breathing, around 6 breaths per minute or fewer. It is associated with a nervous system shifted toward rest, brain rhythms linked to relaxation, and more comfort, alertness and calm, with less anxiety and anger.
For you : Lengthening your exhale is the simplest way to slow your breath. Prolonged exhalation →
How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing
Zaccaro, Piarulli, Laurino et al., Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2018 · University of Pisa
Randomized controlled trial · 2017
Belly breathing improves attention and lowers cortisol
40 healthy adults were randomly split: half followed 20 sessions of diaphragmatic breathing over 8 weeks, the other half did not. The trained group showed better sustained attention, fewer negative emotions and lower cortisol, the hormone associated with stress. It is a small but encouraging study.
For you : Abdominal breathing is the foundation of every other technique. Abdominal breathing →
The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults
Ma, Yue, Gong et al., Frontiers in Psychology, 2017
Clinical study · 2015
20 minutes of slow breathing before bed
People with insomnia practiced 20 minutes of slow, paced breathing before going to bed, with their sleep measured in a lab. They fell asleep faster, woke up less and slept better. The study only included 28 people: a promising result that needs confirming.
For you : A slow breathing exercise belongs in a good bedtime routine. 4-7-8 breathing →
Efficacy of paced breathing for insomnia: Enhances vagal activity and improves sleep quality
Tsai, Kuo, Lee, Yang, Psychophysiology, 2015 · Taipei Medical University
Randomized trial · 2019
15 minutes of evening breathing instead of social media
64 healthy adults spent 15 minutes every evening for 30 days either doing slow breathing or using social media. The breathing group rated their sleep quality as better, and their parasympathetic activity during the night increased.
For you : Swapping a few minutes of screen time for a breathing exercise is a real step toward better sleep. Coherent breathing →
Influence of a 30-Day Slow-Paced Breathing Intervention Compared to Social Media Use on Subjective Sleep Quality and Cardiac Vagal Activity
Laborde, Hosang, Mosley, Dosseville, Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2019 · German Sport University Cologne
