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Regular slow-breathing exercise effects on blood pressure and breathing patterns at rest

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 24, pages 807–813 (2010)Cite this article

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Abstract

Previous studies reported that a device-guided slow-breathing (DGB) exercise decreases resting blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients. This study investigated the effects of daily practice of DGB on (a) 24-h BP and breathing patterns in the natural environment, as well as (b) BP and breathing pattern during clinic rest. Altogether, 40 participants with pre-hypertension or stage 1 hypertension were trained to decrease breathing rate through DGB or to passively attend to breathing (control, CTL) during daily 15-min sessions. The participants practiced their breathing exercise at home for 4 weeks. The DGB (but not the CTL) intervention decreased clinic resting BP, mid-day ambulatory systolic BP (in women only) and resting breathing rate, and increased resting tidal volume. However, 24-h BP level was not changed by DGB or CTL interventions, nor was overnight breathing pattern. These findings are consistent with the conclusion that a short-term, autonomic mechanism mediated the observed changes in resting BP, but provided no evidence that regular DGB affected factors involved in long-term BP regulation. Additional research will be needed to determine whether 24-h BP can be lowered by a more prolonged intervention.

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Acknowledgements

This research was solely supported by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Institute on Aging. The authors are indebted to Dr Deborah Grady for calling our attention to the guided breathing device, and to Drs Benjamin Gavish, S Mortesa Farasat and Margaret A Chesney for review of the paper.

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  1. Clinical Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    D E Anderson, J D McNeely & B G Windham

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  1. D E Anderson
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  2. J D McNeely
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  3. B G Windham
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Correspondence to D E Anderson.

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Anderson, D., McNeely, J. & Windham, B. Regular slow-breathing exercise effects on blood pressure and breathing patterns at rest. J Hum Hypertens 24, 807–813 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2010.18

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