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Slow Breathing Practice
Slow breathing at 6 breaths/min reduces systolic BP by 4-8 mmHg and diastolic BP by 2-3 mmHg, with greater effects from device-guided practice.
Blood Pressure Reduction
- SBP reduction: 4.8-6 mmHg
- DBP reduction: 2.5-3 mmHg
- Greater effects with guided device assistance
Autonomic Benefits
- Heart rate reduction: 3-7 bpm
- HRV: 10-30% improvement
- Cortisol: 15-25% reduction
Mechanism
Slow breathing optimizes baroreflex sensitivity and enhances parasympathetic activity.
Protocol
15 min daily slow breathing at 6 breaths/min.
Tertiary map
Wikipedia: Pranayama (wikipedia-pranayama-overview) gives yogic pacing vocabulary adjacent to ~6 breaths/min baroreflex training—mmHg and HRV numbers stay on PubMed rows linked here.
Evidence
- Slow breathing reduces blood pressure: systematic review
- Breathing and autonomic nervous system regulation
- Effects of meditation on autonomic nervous system
- HRV biofeedback and stress reduction
- Device-guided breathing and blood pressure
- Wikipedia: Pranayama
- Mindfulness interventions reduce blood pressure in patients with non-communicable diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis
- Effect of slow abdominal breathing combined with biofeedback on blood pressure and heart rate variability in prehypertension