Mindfulness and breathing exercises reduce stress and support goal progress
Cathleen Kappes, Charlotte Heier, Daniel J. Schad
Motivation and Emotion March 3, 2026 DOI: 10.1007/s11031-026-10217-6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 197 |
| Population | Adults (18–72 years, 86% female) |
| Interventions | Mindfulness exercises Breathing exercises |
| Dose | 6-12 minutes daily |
| Duration | 4-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Goal setting Intervention counseling Breathing exercises Control management Stress linguistics Psychological intervention Clinical psychology Stress management Reactivity psychology Goal orientation Randomized controlled trial Attentional control Psychotherapist |
| Key findings | Both mindfulness and breathing exercises led to greater goal progress than a waitlist control, and decreased stress was associated with greater goal progress, but autonomous goal motivation did not influence change. |
Abstract
Abstract Previous correlational and experimental studies showed the importance of mindfulness and autonomous goal motivation for processes of goal attainment. The present study compared the role of two regulation techniques (mindfulness vs. breathing exercises) for goal progress in personal goals in a randomized waitlist control group design. Participants ( N = 197, M = 25.5 years, 18–72 years; 86% female) either received daily 6-12-minute audio mindfulness exercises ( n = 65) or breathing exercises ( n = 66) online for four weeks or were placed on a waitlist. Participants in both intervention groups reported greater goal progress compared with the control group ( n = 66) at the end of the intervention. While perceived stress and emotional reactivity decreased in both intervention groups, only the decrease in stress was associated with greater goal progress. Moreover, autonomous goal motivation did not influence change in goal progress. Overall, the results point to the importance of stress-reducing techniques that support the achievement of goals, although specific mindfulness exercises do not appear to play a special role here.