Lower breathing frequencies in personalized slow-paced breathing enhance relaxation and reduce arousal.
iScience June 19, 2026 Lukas Moebus, Manuel Spitschan, Felix Ehrlenspiel
In a randomized crossover trial with 42 university students, three personalized slow-paced breathing protocols at 40%, 60%, and 80% of each participant's spontaneous breathing frequency were compared. Lower breathing frequencies enhanced subjective relaxation and reduced physiological arousal, shown by decreased heart rate, increased heart rate variability, and increased peripheral skin temperature. Lower frequencies also shifted prefrontal neurophysiological arousal, decreasing relative delta power and increasing relative alpha and beta power. Prior experience with relaxation techniques strengthened subjective benefits, while higher anxious-depressive symptoms were linked to greater perceived stress after slow-paced breathing. Personalizing and optimizing breathing parameters may enhance relaxation and self-regulatory capacity.