Slow Breathing and Anxiety: 2024 EEG Study

This Article may be a bit of “No Duh” since we’ve all heard about breathing exercises to calm down forever.  But since this is a quick, easily available modality, we can’t emphasize enough how important this can be.  I have a more detailed summary of the article below after the abstract.  It’s a bit confusing how theta, the brain wave associated with intuition and daydreaming, fantasizing, goes up with fast paced breathing.  In this article, fast breathing is 15/minute.  Slow is 5/minute.

Wim Hof method is even faster. 

The slow breathing can be approximated with the Box  breathing technique here.

YouTube on box breathing here.

breathing and EEG and anxiety 7.27.24

The slow breathing reduces anxiety: An EEG study
Luo Qian1, Xianrui Li1, Jia Zhao1, Jiang Qiu2, and Dongtao Wei2
1Affiliation not available
2Southwest University
July 16, 2024
Abstract
Anxiety is an interactive disorder of the mind and body, characterized by excessive worry about uncertain future events
and a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. Previous studies have shown that slow, deep breathing can affect the
body’s internal organs by increasing the activity levels of the vagus nerve, reducing physical tension, and anxiety. Although
we know that slow and deep breathing techniques can effectively regulate anxiety and other emotions, the psychological and
neurophysiological mechanisms of slow breathing on anxiety have not been systematically explored. In the study, we combined the paced breathing task with the threat uncertainty task for the first time to investigate the role of slow breathing in regulating anxiety. Here we investigated this question, using Spectral analysis of EEG to assess brain activity relating respiratory rate and he mechanism of respiratory rate impact on the anxious. Twenty-seven individuals participated in the experiment, which followed a 2 (respiratory rate: fast breathing, slow breathing) × 2 (certainty: certain, uncertain). The results of showed that:
(1) Slow breathing effectively reduced anxiety, the valence and arousal are lower under the slow breathing.

(2) The EEG of fast and slow breathing showed different characteristics. The delta, theta and alpha EEG power are increased during the slow-paced breathing.

(3) The EEG of Respiratory rate and certainty had a significant effect on the theta power.

When individuals are faced with uncertain information the theta EEG power decreased during the slow-paced breathing, however, the theta EEG power increased during the fast-paced breathing.

Anxiety disorders are prevalent among children and adolescents, with rates up to 20%. While moderate anxiety can be useful, severe anxiety leads to dysfunction and stress. Anticipatory anxiety, occurring between a warning and a stimulus, involves physiological arousal and cognitive bias. Breathing rhythms play a crucial role in managing anxiety and stress, with slow breathing exercises showing potential benefits. This study explores how breathing affects brain waves (alpha, beta, theta) and heart rate variability (HRV), focusing on anticipatory anxiety.

Breathing and Brain Waves

Breathing impacts brain activity, as seen in studies dating back to the 1960s. Slow breathing, in particular, affects different brain wave frequencies:

• Alpha Waves: Typically associated with relaxation, increased during slow breathing.
• Beta Waves: Linked to active thinking and concentration, showed no significant change during slow breathing.
• Theta Waves: Associated with deep relaxation and mental states like meditation, increased during slow breathing, especially in the frontal brain regions.

During the study, 25 female college students performed fast (15 breaths/minute) and slow (5 breaths/minute) breathing exercises while their brain activity was monitored using EEG. Slow breathing led to increased power in delta, theta, and alpha bands during the breathing phase. In contrast, during the emotional anticipation phase, theta power decreased with slow breathing when faced with uncertain cues.

Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

HRV, an indicator of autonomic nervous system function, was assessed through RMSSD (root mean square of successive differences) and HF (high-frequency power):

• RMSSD: Reflects short-term HRV and parasympathetic activity.
• HF Power: Indicates parasympathetic tone.

The study found higher RMSSD and HF values during slow breathing, suggesting enhanced parasympathetic activity. This aligns with lower heart rates observed during slow breathing compared to fast breathing.

Expectation and Anxiety

Expectations, especially under uncertainty, heighten anxiety and physiological responses. The study hypothesized that slow breathing would modulate these responses:

1. Slow Breathing and Anticipatory Anxiety: Participants reported lower valence (negativity) and arousal (intensity of emotion) during slow breathing compared to fast breathing.
2. Uncertainty and Anxiety: Higher valence and arousal scores were noted in uncertain conditions, affirming that uncertainty exacerbates anxiety.
3. Brain Activity: Theta power decreased during slow breathing in uncertain conditions, indicating reduced anxiety, while fast breathing increased theta power, reflecting heightened alertness and anxiety.

Methods

Participants engaged in a paced breathing-emotional anticipation task, involving breathing exercises followed by exposure to emotional images under certain and uncertain cues. EEG and ECG recorded brain and heart activity, respectively. The findings demonstrated the regulatory effect of slow breathing on anxiety, with implications for future interventions.

Discussion and Implications

The study underscores the interaction between breathing and brain activity, showing that slow breathing can modulate anxiety by affecting neural oscillations and HRV. Slow breathing enhances parasympathetic activity, reducing heart rate and increasing relaxation-associated brain waves. These physiological changes help manage emotional responses to uncertain threats.

The results suggest that slow breathing exercises could be a practical intervention for anxiety, particularly anticipatory anxiety. Further research is needed to explore the effects of slow breathing on trait anxiety and the integration of other techniques like mindfulness and meditation.

Conclusion

Slow breathing significantly affects brain waves and HRV, reducing anxiety by enhancing parasympathetic activity and modulating neural oscillations. This study provides evidence that slow breathing can be a valuable tool for managing anxiety, offering a physiological basis for its calming effects. Future research should continue to explore the mechanisms and broader applications of slow breathing in anxiety regulation.

The slow breathing reduces anxiety: An EEG study
Qian Luoa , Xianrui Lib,c, Jia Zhaob,c, Qiu Jiangb,c, ,Dongtao Weib,c*
a West China Institute of Children’s Brain and Cognition, Chongqing University of Education, Chongqing
400715, China
b Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
c Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing, 400715, China
1 contributed equally to this work as shared first authors.