Breathwork

Breathwork covers deliberate breathing practices — slow diaphragmatic breathing, box breathing, paced 4-6 breathing and similar — usually practised for a few minutes at a time.

What published research reports

A 2023 meta-analysis of 12 randomised controlled trials published in Scientific Reports reported that breathwork interventions produced small-to-medium improvements in self-reported stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms compared with non-active controls. The authors describe the certainty of evidence as limited by small trials and possible publication bias, and call for larger, better-controlled studies. The NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health lists breathing exercises among relaxation techniques with evidence for short-term reduction of stress symptoms.

References

• Fincham GW, et al. Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Sci Rep. 2023;13:432. PubMed
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Relaxation Techniques: What You Need To Know. nccih.nih.gov