[B031] Breathe to Reset: The 5-Minute Fix for Mood and Mind

Introduction

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a perfect time to talk about one of the most overlooked tools for emotional wellbeing—your breath.

We all face moments that throw us off balance: work stress, a breakup, a tough conversation, even just a bad day. What if there were a simple, science-backed way to feel better in just five minutes? New research from Stanford University has tested and confirmed that controlled breathing techniques—simple and free—can rapidly improve mood and reduce anxiety, even more effectively than traditional mindfulness meditation. And the best part? They work quickly.

Man doing breathwork

Before diving into the results, here’s a quick intro to the three breathing techniques tested:

• Cyclic Sighing: A deep inhale, a second quick top-up inhale, followed by a long slow exhale. This technique emphasizes longer exhales, which signal the body to relax.

• Box Breathing: Equal-length inhale, hold, exhale, hold (e.g., 4 seconds each). This balances the nervous system and is popular among military and high-performance professionals.

• Cyclic Hyperventilation with Retention: Longer inhales and shorter exhales, followed by holding the breath. It's more intense and energizing, and may not be ideal during anxiety peaks.

  
  

What the research shows

Breathwork outperformed mindfulness meditation in several key ways:

• Breathwork led to a greater increase in daily positive mood ("positive affect").

• Cyclic sighing was the most effective at improving mood and reducing physiological arousal (especially breathing rate).

• All breathing methods reduced daily anxiety and negative emotions, but exhale-focused breathing like cyclic sighing had the strongest calming effect.

• Mood improvements increased the more days participants practiced, especially for cyclic sighing.

• Breathwork caused a significant reduction in respiratory rate—a sign of lower stress levels.

• Participants felt more in control during breathwork compared to passive mindfulness, helping reduce feelings of overwhelm.

✅ Key takeaway: Breathwork provides a faster and more direct path to calming the body and mind than mindfulness meditation.

Facts about the study

• Title: Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal

• Authors: Melis Yilmaz Balban, Eric Neri, Manuela M. Kogon, et al.

• Published: January 2023, Cell Reports Medicine

• DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895

• PMID: 36630953

• Participants: 108 adults, remote study over 28 days

• Intervention: 5 minutes per day of one of four techniques (3 types of breathwork or mindfulness meditation)

• Data collection: Via wearables (WHOOP strap) and self-reported mood/anxiety assessments

  
  

Study limitations

• Conducted remotely, so researchers couldn’t directly monitor how accurately participants followed the breathing protocols.

• Short-term study: Lasted 4 weeks with no follow-up on long-term effects.

• Small sample sizes per group limited ability to deeply compare all techniques.

• Retrospective clinical trial registration (due to pandemic urgency).

  
  

Research to action: where this fits in real life

Let’s face it—life gets heavy. Here’s where 5 minutes of breathing can come to your rescue:

• Stressed before a big meeting? Try box breathing to feel focused and steady.

• Reeling from an argument or heartbreak? Use cyclic sighing to calm your system and soften emotional intensity.

• Struggling with morning dread or afternoon crash? Cyclic hyperventilation can give a mental reset and boost of energy.

• Overwhelmed by life admin or burnout? All three breathwork styles can ground you in the moment, but cyclic sighing offers the deepest calm.

🧠 Why it works: Exhalation-heavy breathing activates the vagus nerve, calming the fight-or-flight response. It tells your brain: “We’re safe. We can let go.”

Boost summary

In just five minutes a day, specific breathing patterns—especially cyclic sighing—can measurably improve your mood and reduce anxiety. Whether you're battling work stress, emotional overwhelm, or the everyday grind, breathwork offers a quick, powerful reset.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, don’t just think about mental wellness—breathe it into being.

Take a deep breath in. Top it off. Let it go slowly. That’s your first step to balance.

Referencing

Balban, M. Y., Neri, E., Kogon, M. M., Weed, L., Nouriani, B., Jo, B., Holl, G., Zeitzer, J. M., Spiegel, D., & Huberman, A. D. (2023). Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 4(1), 100895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895

PMID: 36630953