NCT06986135

The Effect of Breathing on Cognitive Performance and Stress

The Effect of Breathing Interventions on Biomarkers of Stress and Cognitive Performance Following a Psychologically Stressful Task

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 66 (actual)
• Sponsor: Texas State University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 39 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of different breathing techniques on biomarkers of stress and cognitive performance following the Trier Social Stress Test.

Detailed description

This study examined the effect of three various breathing techniques (i.e., normal breathing, prolonged exhalation, and box breathing) on biomarkers of stress and mental performance after the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). The TSST has been shown to result in significant increases in psychological and physiological stress markers. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine potential interventions to mitigate the effects of this psychological stressor while maintaining increased cognitive performance. Moreover, previous literature has shown various effects of breathing interventions, therefore, the investigators wished to further validate breathing techniques as an effective tool to mitigate stress and increase cognitive performance. The data from this research provided insight to real life events, allowing for a principal understanding of how to reduce stress, focused at first responder populations.

Conditions

• Stress
• Acute Stress Reaction
• Breathing Techniques
• Cognitive Performance

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Box Breathing	Box breathing consisted of a 4 second inhale, 4 second hold, 4 second exhale, 4 second hold; for 4 minutes.
OTHER	Prolonged Exhalation	Prolonged Exhalation consisted of a deep, 3 second inhale, followed by a slow 6 second exhale through pursed lips, once every 30 seconds for 4 minutes.
OTHER	Normal Breathing	This was the placebo, normal breathing group was instructed to breath as they normally would for the entirety of the 4 minute period.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-08-01
• Primary completion: 2025-05-01
• Completion: 2025-05-01
• First posted: 2025-05-22
• Last updated: 2025-05-22

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States