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Slow Deep Breathing Effects on the Human Consciousness-10-Second Breathing Rhythm Synchronizes Slow Cortical
Maximilian Wrobel1, Thilo Hinterberger2
1Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Research Section of Applied Consciousness Sciences, University Medical Center Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany. Maximilian.Wrobel@stud.uni-regensburg.de.
None:
Understanding the linkage between slow paced breathing (SPB), slow cortical potentials (SCP) and the human consciousness could help to improve practicing strategies in the field of mental well-being. Providing 25 individuals performing two different breathing cycles (6 s-cycle and 10 s-cycle), which were accompanied by the sound of a humming gong, while measuring a 64-channel EEG, our study provides an insight into the relationship between SPB and SCPs. More importantly, it points out the greater impact of the 10 s-cycle on SCPs than the 6 s-cycle. Breathing with a frequency of 0.1 Hz led to an increased SCP-amplitude ratio as well as to a synchronization of SCPs with the breathing rhythm. Also, non-SCP frequencies were considered. Here, the 10 s-cycle showed the increased appearance of delta (ES_t = 3.52), theta (ES_t = 4.11), and alpha 1 (ES_t = 3.47) frequencies, especially in the occipital and central parietal regions. Moreover, subjectively, the SPB intervention has been rated to evoke an increased feeling of "integrity" and "balance" as well as a slightly increased feeling of "vitality". Demonstrating the relation between SPB, SCPs, and subjective mental feeling, this study contributes to emphasizing the importance of SPB in mental health.
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