Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2025

A Community-based Stress Management Program: Using Wearable Devices to Assess Whole Body Physiological Responses in Non-laboratory Settings
Published on: January 22, 2018
Brief slow-paced breathing improves working memory, mood, and stress in college students
June J Pilcher1, Kaileigh A Byrne1, Skylar E Weiskittel1
1Department of Psychology, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA.
Background:
Few studies have examined the effects of brief focused breathing techniques. This study investigated the impact of brief slow-paced breathing (SPB) with a longer exhalation on working memory and perceived mood, stress, and arousal.
Design:
Between-subjects experimental design.
Methods:
Participants (139 undergraduates, 69% female) were randomized to a one-time SPB session or a mind-wandering active control condition. The participants completed the OSPAN working memory task and state measures of mood, stress, and arousal at three time points: baseline, post-manipulation, and post-task.
Results:
OSPAN performance improved in the experimental group. Mood improved in the experimental group but decreased in the control group from baseline to post-manipulation and then decreased in both conditions after completing the OSPAN task. Stress decreased in the experimental group from baseline to post-manipulation and was significantly different from the control group at the post-manipulation time point. Stress then increased from post-manipulation to post-task in both conditions. Arousal decreased in both conditions from baseline to post-manipulation but then increased from post-manipulation to post-task.
Conclusions:
The current results demonstrate that a brief SPB session with longer exhalation improved working memory and temporarily improved mood and stress thus providing a just-in-time intervention to help individuals cope with stress-inducing conditions.
Related Concept Videos
Breathing
Other Factors Affecting Respiration Centers
However, the ability to hold one's breath voluntarily is not limitless. When the CO2 concentration in the blood reaches a critical...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques III
The Role of Exercise in Stress Management
Regular physical activity is essential for reducing stress and promoting cardiovascular health. Exercise strengthens the heart, enhances blood flow, keeps blood vessels flexible, and helps lower blood pressure, all of which reduce the body's stress response. Research shows that adults who exercise regularly have nearly half the...
Factors Affecting Respiration
Physiological Foundation of Stress
Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Adrenaline triggers the...
Respiratory Volumes and Capacities I

