Science 411
Nicholas Heath
Effect of breathwork on stress and mental ...

To date, this is probably the most significant study ever published on breathing.

Science 411
Nicholas Heath
Influence of a 30-Day Slow-Paced Breathing ...

Fifteen minutes of slow breathing (6 breaths per minute) before bed for 30 days improves sleep quality and increases vagal tone.

Science 411
Nicholas Heath
Heart rate variability biofeedback in chronic ...

HRVB (and, hence, slow breathing) is a powerful adjunctive therapy for managing a wide variety of chronic diseases. To be effective, it should be practiced for a minimum of 10 min/day (but probably 20+ for best results—see next section). More broadly, this study supports using slow breathing at around 5-6 breaths per minute in people with chronic diseases.

Science 411
Nicholas Heath
Deep Breathing Practice Facilitates Retention ...

We can use slow alternate nostril breathing immediately after learning a skill to improve that skill's short and long-term retention. More broadly and simply stated, this study supports using ANB after a task for enhanced learning.

Science 411

Oral and Systemic Effects of Breathing Patterns: Nasal Breathing vs. Mouth Breathing

Nasal breathing is healthy breathing, promoting better facial structure, oral health, and cardiovascular function, as well as deeper sleep and less stress and anxiety. Mouth breathing, on the other hand, contributes to many facial abnormalities and oral and systemic health complications.

Oxygen-induced impairment in arterial function is corrected by slow breathing in patients with type 1 diabetes (2017)

Slow breathing improves autonomic and arterial function while also acting as an antioxidant in people with diabetes.  The last line of their abstract summarizes it perfectly: “Slow breathing could be a simple beneficial intervention in diabetes.”

A pilot study on the kinetics of metabolites and microvascular cutaneous effects of nitric oxide inhalation in healthy volunteers (2019)

For the first time, it has been shown that metabolites of inhaled nitric oxide enter the blood stream and are carried systemically throughout the body in forms that can convert back to bioactive NO. This provides a mechanism for how inhaled NO has distant effects.

Device and non-device-guided slow breathing to reduce blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2019)

Slow breathing reduces systolic blood pressure by 5.62 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 2.67 mmHg. The more time you practice per week, the greater the blood pressure reductions. This is a go-to reference for anything slow breathing and hypertension-related.

Heart rate variability biofeedback in chronic disease management: A systematic review (2021)

HRVB (and, hence, slow breathing) is a powerful adjunctive therapy for managing a wide variety of chronic diseases. To be effective, it should be practiced for a minimum of 10 min/day (but probably 20+ for best results—see next section). More broadly, this study supports using slow breathing at around 5-6 breaths per minute in people with chronic diseases.