Examining the Effectiveness of Breathwork to Improve Resilience and Psychological Wellbeing While Reducing Anxiety, Depression, Stress, and Insomnia in Paramedicine Students: A Single‐Blind Randomised Controlled Trial
Stress and Health March 5, 2026 A. G. Little, Matthew J. Stainer, Alex Sandy MacQuarrie et al. 1 citation
Student paramedics who practiced the A52 Breath Method—a structured slow-diaphragmatic-breathing protocol (5-second inhale, 5-second exhale, 2-second hold) twice daily for 12 weeks—reported significantly lower stress, anxiety, and depression and higher resilience compared to a control group, with medium to large effect sizes. Insomnia and psychological wellbeing did not change significantly. Qualitative feedback indicated benefits for emotional regulation and perceived psychological safety, though some challenges with practice engagement were noted. The findings suggest breathwork may serve as a scalable upstream intervention to support mental health during paramedic training.