A new study from Stanford University compared different stress reduction techniques (each was done five minutes a day for a month): mindfulness meditation and three types of breathwork (cyclic sighing, with its greater focus on exhaling; box breathing, where inhaling and holding are done for an equal time; and one focusing on longer inhalation). They found that all three types of breathwork had a faster, more positive impact on stress and physiology than mindfulness meditation. Cyclic sighing proved the overall “winner,” with a significantly more positive impact on stress, mood, and resting breathing rate (results which lasted throughout the day).
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