Simply breathing anxiety away? A pilot, just-in-time ecological momentary intervention study of one-minute cyclic sighing versus box breathing as tools for acute anxiety reduction and attention promotion in real life
Anxiety Stress & Coping April 19, 2026 Elisabeth M. Riedl, Teresa Bracklo, K. Wimmer et al.
A one-minute box breathing or cyclic sighing exercise reduced state anxiety more than a passive control condition in university students facing acute threat situations. Box breathing also led to fewer inhibition errors on an attention test, an effect stronger among those with high trait anxiety. However, both breathing exercises were associated with longer reaction times, indicating reduced attention efficiency. The study suggests brief breathing techniques may help manage anxiety in everyday life.