[Variation of SpO2 during a Step-wise Paced Breathing Procedure]

Rhythmic respiratory movement in a deep and slow pattern can be beneficial to cardiovascular system, this paper investigates the effect of step-wise paced breathing procedure on blood oxygen saturation (SpO2). Experiment objects were divided into two groups, the normobaric hypoxia (simulated altitude of 4 500 meters hypoxia environment, 8 persons), normoxia and normobaric group (laboratory environment, 49 persons). The respiratory movements were performed by a high-to-low progressive change in two groups respectively. During the experiment, each object's blood oxygen saturation and heart rate were recorded. Results showed that progressive guided breathing could significantly increase the subjects' blood oxygen saturation level from 90% to 95% under the hypoxic condition. Even under the normobaric and normoxic condition, progressive guided breathing with stable blood oxygen saturation level can also enhance the blood oxygen saturation level. In both groups, mean heart rate declined in the progressive guided breathing. The research showed that the step-wise paced breathing technique could regulate the blood oxygen saturation and effectively improve the level of blood oxygen saturation by adjusting the respiratory motion in the low oxygen environment.