Question 334 of 433
Does breathwork do anything measurable?
The short answer
A brief, comfortable slow-breathing practice can improve mood and reduce arousal. The method matters; intense hyperventilation is a different intervention.
In a Stanford study, people who practiced five minutes a day of slow breathing with long exhales for a month improved their mood more than people who did five minutes of mindfulness meditation. Slow breathing lowers heart rate and blood pressure within minutes. More intense methods that involve rapid breathing and breath-holding reduce inflammation in laboratory studies; they should never be done in or near water, where they have caused drownings.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
SMALL HUMAN TRIAL — Adults: brief slow-breathing practice improved mood; intense breathwork has different risks.Evidence grade (draft mapping)BLimited or small human studiesPart 22, Q334 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.