Using Biofeedback Nasal Breathing to Augment Relaxation Following Exposure to Mild Stress.

Abstract

The aim of this research was to examine if biofeedback nasal breathing can augment psychological and physiological recovery following exposure to mild stress. Two studies are reported. The first study (Study 1) was a feasibility study (n = 12) to examine if six minutes of biofeedback nasal breathing is relaxing and acceptable for participants. Following positive results from Study 1, Study 2 examined if biofeedback nasal breathing can enhance recovery from mild stress. In this latter study, after six minutes of free breathing (baseline), participants (n = 37) were administered the N-Back and the Go/No-Go task, to induce stress, in that order. In between each stress task, individuals practised either biofeedback nasal breathing, or free normal breathing for six minutes in a crossover design. It was found that biofeedback nasal breathing was associated with higher ratings of serenity, lower breathing rate, and an increased subjective capacity to doze, relative to baseline free breathing and post-stress free breathing. In addition, biofeedback nasal breathing was associated with higher heart rate variability (HRV) in terms of RMSSD, relative to baseline free breathing, and higher High Frequency HRV (HF), relative to baseline free breathing, and free breathing post stress. Overall, the present findings indicate that real-time auditory feedback of nasal breathing represents a feasible and potentially efficacious approach for facilitating relaxation and supporting recovery from mild psychological stress. With continued development, such methods may offer accessible and scalable strategies for enhancing emotional well-being and fostering stress resilience across both clinical and non-clinical populations.