Dataset Information

Slow breathing for reducing stress: The effect of extending exhale.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Slow breathing techniques are commonly used to reduce stress. While it is believed by mind-body practitioners that extending the exhale time relative to inhale increases relaxation, this has not been demonstrated.

Methods

We conducted a 12-week randomized, single-blinded trial among 100 participants to compare if yoga-based slow breathing with an exhale greater inhale versus an exhale equals inhale produces measurable differences in physiological and psychological stress among healthy adults.

Results

Participants mean individual instruction attendance was 10.7 ± 1.5 sessions out of 12 offered sessions. The mean weekly home practice was 4.8 ± 1.2 practices per week. There was no statistical difference between treatment groups for frequency of class attendance, home practice, or achieved slow breathing respiratory rate. Participants demonstrated fidelity to assigned breath ratios with home practice as measured by remote biometric assessments through smart garments (HEXOSKIN). Regular slow breathing practice for 12 weeks significantly reduced psychological stress as measured by PROMIS Anxiety (-4.85 S.D. ± 5.53, confidence interval [-5.60, -3.00], but not physiological stress as measured by heart rate variability. Group comparisons showed small effect size differences (d = 0.2) with further reductions in psychological stress and physiological stress from baseline to 12 weeks for exhale greater than inhale versus exhale equals inhale, however these differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

While slow breathing significantly reduces psychological stress, breath ratios do not have a significant differential effect on stress reduction among healthy adults.

SUBMITTER: Birdee G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10395759 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Slow breathing for reducing stress: The effect of extending exhale.

Birdee Gurjeet G Nelson Katrina K Wallston Ken K Nian Hui H Diedrich Andre A Paranjape Sachin S Abraham Robert R Gamboa Alfredo A

Complementary therapies in medicine 20230305

<h4>Introduction</h4>Slow breathing techniques are commonly used to reduce stress. While it is believed by mind-body practitioners that extending the exhale time relative to inhale increases relaxation, this has not been demonstrated.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a 12-week randomized, single-blinded trial among 100 participants to compare if yoga-based slow breathing with an exhale greater inhale versus an exhale equals inhale produces measurable differences in physiological and psychological str ...[more]

PMID: 36871835

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Project description:This research aims to investigate whether slow-paced breathing (SPB) improves adaptation to psychological stress, and specifically inhibition, when it is performed before or after physical exertion (PE). According to the resonance model, SPB is expected to increase cardiac vagal activity (CVA). Further, according to the neurovisceral integration model, CVA is positively linked to executive cognitive performance, and would thus play a role in the adaptation to psychological stress. We hypothesized that SPB, in comparison to a control condition, will induce a better adaptation to psychological stress, measured via better inhibitory performance. Two within-subject experiments were conducted with athletes: in the first experiment (N = 60) SPB (or control - neutral TV documentary) was realized before PE ("relax before PE"), and in the second experiment (N = 60) SPB (or the watching TV control) was realized after PE ("relax after PE"). PE consisted of 5 min Burpees, a physical exercise involving the whole body. In both experiments the adaptation to psychological stress was investigated with a Stroop task, a measure of inhibition, which followed PE. Perceived stress increased during PE (partial η2 = 0.63) and during the Stroop task (partial η2 = 0.08), and decreased during relaxation (partial η2 = 0.15), however, no effect of condition was found. At the physiological level PE significantly increased HR, RF, and decreased CVA [operationalized in this research via the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD)] in both experiments. Further, the number of errors in the incongruent category (Stroop interference accuracy) was found to be lower in the SPB condition in comparison to the control condition, however, these results were not mediated by RMSSD. Additionally, the Stroop interference [reaction times (RTs)] was found to be lower overall in "relax before PE," however, no effect was found regarding SPB and Stroop interference (RTs). Overall, our results suggest that SPB realized before or after PE has a positive effect regarding adaptation to psychological stress and specifically inhibition, however, the underlying mechanisms require further investigation.

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Dataset Information

Slow breathing for reducing stress: The effect of extending exhale.

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Slow breathing for reducing stress: The effect of extending exhale.

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