Breathing Techniques and Their Quick Effects on Body and Mind

People have long known that different breathing styles can change how we feel. A recent study looked at three types of yoga breathing and how they affect the heart, breathing rate, and mood.

Study Details

• Participants: 42 people, half men and half women, average age of 23.
• Experience: Around 43 months of yoga breathing experience on average.
• Methods Tested:
• Bumblebee breathing
• Bellows breathing
• High-frequency breathing
• Breath awareness
• Quiet rest
• Session Duration: 15 minutes each.
• Measurements:
• Heart rate variability (HRV)
• Blood pressure
• Breathing rate
• Mood (before and after)

Findings

Bumblebee Breathing

• Style: Slow and deep with shorter inhales than exhales.
• Effect: Increased low-frequency heart rate variability, suggesting relaxation.

Bellows Breathing

• Style: Deep with longer inhales than exhales.
• Effect: Increased RMSSD (root mean square of successive differences), indicating better heart rate control.

High-Frequency Breathing

• Style: Rapid and deep with longer inhales.
• Effect: Decreased RMSSD, suggesting it might not be as relaxing.

Mood Improvements

• Bumblebee Breathing: Made people feel more pleasant and positive.
• Breath Awareness: Increased pleasant moods and decreased negative ones.

Vagus Nerve Control

• Bumblebee and Bellows Breathing: Boosted heart rate variability controlled by the vagus nerve.
• High-Frequency Breathing: Reduced vagus nerve control.

Limitations

• Short-Term Effects: The study only looked at immediate impacts.
• Yoga Experience: Participants already had experience with yoga breathing, so results may not apply to everyone.