The Science of Slow Deep Breathing

Take a deep breath.

The odds are good that you have been on the receiving end of the aforementioned recommendation more than once during your life. The odds are also good that, at least initially, this respiratory admonishment had the opposite effect from its calming intention.

No matter how you feel about the deep breath it is a folk remedy that has stood the test of time. But is there any scientific basis for the proposed stress-relieving effects of a slow, deep breath?

As you have likely surmised from the title of this article, there is robust scientific evidence for the benefits of mindful breathing. Let’s begin with an exercise and then delve into the physiology behind your breathing.