What is an effective breathing method to improve depressed mood and relieve anxiety?
Breathing is something that humans do all the time as long as they live, but they are rarely conscious of it. However, it is said that being conscious of the way you breathe can reduce stress, calm your mood, and eliminate anxiety. Researchers at Stanford University introduce breathing techniques that are effective in improving such mood.
Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal: Cell Reports Medicine
Stanford's Ancient Breathing Technique - Super Self
https://superself.substack.com/p/stanfords-ancient-breathing-technique
A research team led by Andrew Huberman at Stanford University used three breathing techniques and mindfulness meditation to identify the most effective breathing techniques to reduce stress and improve mood. compared.
The research team distributed WHOOP that can measure sleep and rest to 108 experimental participants in order to measure the effects of various breathing techniques and mindfulness meditation on the body. Subjects were assigned to four groups: ``periodic deep breathing'', ``box breathing'', ``periodic hyperventilation (Wimhof method)'', and ``mindfulness meditation'', and asked them to perform each breathing method and meditation for 6 minutes. heart rate variability was measured.
The explanation of 'periodic deep breathing', 'box breathing', 'periodic hyperventilation (Wimhof method)' and 'mindfulness meditation' investigated in this experiment is as follows.
・Periodical deep breathing
The video below demonstrates how to take a deep, cyclical breath, taking another deep breath and then taking a long, deep breath.
・Box breathing
The video below demonstrates box breathing, where you hold your breath after you inhale and after you exhale.
Box Breathing Exercise | TAKE A DEEP BREATH | Pranayama Series-YouTube
- Periodic hyperventilation
The following video introduces a breathing method called the `` Wimhof method '' that holds your breath for 15 seconds after repeating 30 breaths after a long breath and a short breath.
Guided Wim Hof Method Breathing-YouTube
・Mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness meditation is a method of breathing in a natural rhythm and focusing only on the breath.
In addition to measuring heart rate variability, participants reported to the research team about changes in mood and anxiety before and after the measurement and during the study period.
The chart below shows the results of the four groups. The ``uplifting mood'' indicated by A is positive in all groups. In addition, B's 'depressed mood' and C's 'change in anxiety' are both trending in the negative direction.
However, the group that took periodic deep breaths had a greater effect than the other three groups. The image below is a graph showing the results of four groups for 'uplifting mood'. The cyclical deep breathing group shown in light blue was stronger than the mindfulness meditation group shown in green, the box breathing group shown in red, and the cyclical hyperventilation group shown in purple. Shown to be uplifted.
Huberman's research team said, ``By incorporating breathing techniques and meditation for even a few minutes a day, you can feel positive changes in yourself.In addition, to improve depressed mood and relieve anxiety, , periodic deep breathing is effective.'
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