Efficacy of online conscious connected breathwork in reducing symptoms of anxiety: A randomized waitlist control trial.
Journal of Affective Disorders February 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120565 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractSix weekly 90-minute online group sessions of Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB) reduced anxiety symptoms substantially more than a waitlist control condition. Among 107 adults (80% women, mean age 41, 79% white) randomly assigned to CCB or a waitlist, the breathwork group's anxiety scores dropped from an average of 43.87 to 33.31 on the SAS, a mean reduction of 10.56 points, whereas the control group declined from 43.00 to 41.11, a reduction of only 1.89. The difference between groups was statistically significant with a large effect size. CCB shows promise as a low-cost, accessible online intervention for anxiety.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 107 |
| Population | Adults (80% women, mean age 41, 79% white) with anxiety |
| Intervention | Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB) |
| Duration | 6 weekly sessions of 90 minutes each |
| Topics | Anxiety |
| Keywords | Conscious connected breathwork Mind–body therapy Non-pharmacological treatment Online intervention |
| Key finding | Conscious Connected Breathwork significantly reduced anxiety symptoms compared to a waitlist control, with a large effect size. |
Abstract
Amidst the growing prevalence of anxiety disorders and the limitations of existing treatments, there is a need to expand treatment options beyond conventional therapy and medication. The popularity of breathwork has grown enormously, but it is still in the process of creating a robust body of evidence to validate its utility. This research employs a true-experimental design to compare pretest and posttest measures of anxiety between a breathwork group and a control group, with 107 adults (80 % women, mean age 41, 79 % white) randomly assigned to intervention (n = 54) or waitlist control (n = 53). The breathwork group participated in six weekly group sessions of Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB), each lasting 90 min, while the control group was placed on a waitlist. The intervention group demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in anxiety scores (p < .001)(M = 43.87 to 33.31), with a large effect size (Cohen's d = 1.44), compared to a minimal change in the control group (M = 43.00 to 41.11; d = 0.24). CCB reduced anxiety symptoms by a mean of 10.56 points on the SAS compared to the control group's reduction of just 1.89. This substantial difference highlights the potential of CCB as an effective, low-cost, and accessible intervention for anxiety. Furthermore, this study pioneers the investigation of the effectiveness of CCB in an online environment, offering insights into the adaptability and potential broader application of breathwork therapies.