Research results published in scientific report Practicing breathing exercises has been suggested to help reduce stress and improve mental health.
Background
The practice of breathwork dates back to ancient times, as evidenced by yoga (India), vase breathing (Tibet) and Tai Chi (China). Its benefits for mental, mental and physical health and well-being have been passed down through generations.
Today, breathwork is being advocated by medical professionals and researchers, and is steadily spreading, mainly in developed countries. Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in 2019, and the emergence of associated adverse respiratory effects, the beneficial therapeutic effects of breathwork practices have become more widely known. . Despite its well-known benefits, breathwork has not been thoroughly investigated by the scientific community.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified stress as a major contributing factor to non-communicable diseases that lead to some mental health problems (such as anxiety and depression) and physical illnesses (such as high blood pressure). I’m here.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is widely recommended and accepted as a treatment option for such psychiatric disorders. However, it does not provide a definitive cure and requires long-term treatment and counseling under a trained therapist.
Breathwork training can be done easily and remotely, online or offline, making it very economical and accessible.
Scientists have described multiple mechanisms that contribute to the beneficial effects of practicing slow-paced breathing. These include enteroception, increased heart rate variability through autonomic nervous system (ANS) modulation, and increased parasympathetic activity.
Stress, depression and anxiety impair ANS activity and lower HRV. Modification of breathing alters the neural signals sent by the respiratory system, affecting the parts of the brain that regulate thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
In addition, slow breathing synchronizes brainwaves and improves communication between different parts of the brain. Fast-paced breathing, on the other hand, voluntarily induces temporary stress and helps improve stress resilience.
Current evidence suggests that a single session of slow, deep breathing benefits vagal tone (measured by HRV) and reduces anxiety in adults. Breathwork can therefore be compared to the practice of mindfulness or meditation. Meditation and doing her 5-6 breaths per minute improves HRV.
This is comparable to electronic biofeedback devices approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Practicing meditation and breathing exercises will give you ten times the benefits.
About research
In this article, we reviewed the different effects of breathing changes on subjective stress levels and compared them with non-breathwork controls. This study also examined the dose-response effect of respiration changes on stress.
This study focuses solely on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This included sub-analyses of study populations and controls based on health status, breathing technique, delivery, and outcome measures employed. Dose-response effects on stress were evaluated.
A systematic search was performed through PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest databases and clinical trial registries (ISRCTN and ClinicalTrials.gov). A meta-analysis included 12 of his RCTs (785 adults) to February 2022.
findings
A meta-analysis resulted in a significant association between the breathwork intervention and lower stress levels compared to the control group. Despite the paucity of available data, the results of the included studies appeared consistent.
Furthermore, non-clinical samples showed similar results, except for mental and physical health problems. The effects on stress were more notable after the slow-breathing intervention when taught alone than when taught in a group.In addition, the benefits of the fast-paced breathing intervention were also compared. It was mild.
This technique appeared to be effective even when taught face-to-face, remotely, or both. . Therefore, it can be prescribed to individuals experiencing high stress levels and potentially stressful populations.
Of note, the intervention technique and mode of delivery of respiratory changes did not affect the outcome. Therefore, its various modalities are effective. Another benefit was that breathwork showed a reduction in inactive and active control stress. Therefore, the intervention can be considered accessible and to some extent universal.
Conclusion
These results showed that individuals practicing breathwork showed significant improvements in self-reported anxiety, depression, and stress compared to non-breathwork controls.
Breathwork is a popular treatment for reducing stress, but more research is needed to distinguish between the ‘hype and the evidence’ and to better understand the therapeutic potential of breathing changes. .
This study provides preliminary evidence for further research on breathwork before incorporating it into routine practice to improve public health.
