Those who consciously focus on each inhale and exhale can reap some wonderful health benefits, especially those who combine regular breathing with meditation.
A study involving 108 participants over the course of a month found that five minutes of daily breathing techniques provided amazing benefits for improving mood and reducing anxiety.
The study, conducted by researchers from Stanford University in California, suggests that breathing exercises may be a more powerful mental health tool than meditation, which can rival antidepressants in its benefits.
Neuroscientist and co-author Andrew Huberman wrote on Twitter: “If you are looking to improve sleep, reduce daytime stress, and recover from intense work, regulated breathing is among your most powerful tools.
Each day in the experiment, the participants reported their mood and vital signs including heart rate, breathing rate and sleep.
Those who spent five minutes working on their breath each day showed more rest at the end of the month, with daily improvements in their mental and physiological well-being.
Previous breathing studies have shown that inhalation generally increases heart rate while exhalation decreases it. Perhaps this is why periodic sighing is so effective, it calms the body and mind and helps with relaxation.
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