What it is
Regulatory status: behavioral practice
Mechanism evidence: human
At a glance
What it is, why people use it, the evidence, and what to know before trying it.
Why people use it
- Acute relaxation
- Higher vagally mediated heart-rate variability
- Sleep preparation
Evidence at a glance
A large meta-analysis supports acute and training-related increases in vagally mediated HRV with voluntary slow breathing. Evidence for a specific 4-second inhale and 6-second exhale as a sleep treatment is much thinner.
Confidence: moderate
Practice safety
Situations where this practice may need modification or professional guidance.
Usually low risk when gentle, but dizziness, tingling or anxiety can occur; stop if symptomatic. People with respiratory, cardiovascular or panic disorders should avoid forceful or prolonged techniques without guidance.
Forms and variants
This review does not automatically apply to:
- breath holding
- hyperventilation
- 4-7-8 breathing
- meditation without paced breathing
Seen in protocols
Public protocols that include Paced slow breathing. Open one to see the full context and source.