Unlocking the Power of Slow Deep Breathing: A Study on Pain Reduction
Imagine a world where a simple change in your breathing pattern could significantly reduce pain. What if the key to managing discomfort was right under your nose all along?
Pain
Pain is a universal human experience that can greatly impact our quality of life. While various pain management techniques exist, researchers from the University of Leuven in Belgium have explored a fascinating avenue - the potential of slow deep breathing (SDB) to alleviate pain.
Chronic pain affects millions worldwide, finding effective, non-invasive pain management strategies is crucial, especially when not everyone has access to care or interventions that cost time and/or money.
Today we’re going to be diving into this research as it offers valuable insights into the power of breath and its potential to be another tool in our tool belt when it comes to pain treatment.
The Question?
The researchers of this study set out to find if slow deep breathing can effectively reduce pain, and if so, what are the underlying mechanisms and optimal breathing patterns for pain alleviation?
The Study
The study employed a within-subject experimental design, involving 48 healthy volunteers who performed four different breathing patterns: unpaced breathing, paced breathing at the participant's spontaneous frequency, and two types of Slow Deep Breathing with varying inspiration/expiration ratios.
During each breathing condition, participants received painful heat stimuli of three different intensities and rated the pain intensity using a numeric rating scale. Respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure were continuously monitored. Slow Deep Breathing refers to breathing at a slower rate than normal, typically around 6 breaths per minute, with an emphasis on deep, diaphragmatic breaths.
Key Findings
Compared to unpaced breathing, participants reported significantly lower pain intensity during all three instructed breathing patterns.
Among the instructed patterns, SDB with a low inspiration/expiration ratio (longer exhalation) resulted in the greatest pain reduction, particularly for higher pain intensities. This would be breathing for 6 seconds and then slowly breathing out(exhaling for 12 seconds).
SDB was associated with increased heart rate variability and blood pressure variability, suggesting enhanced cardiovascular and autonomic function.
Discussion and Implications
These findings suggest that Slow Deep Breathing particularly with a low inspiration/expiration ratio, can effectively modulate pain perception. Essentially meaning that when we engage in deep breathing our body perceives less pain. This is crucial for many individuals with chronic pain as many individuals with chronic pain have lowered pain thresholds and feel pain when they otherwise shouldn’t. This highlights the potential of Slow Deep Breathing as a simple, accessible pain management tool. The study provides valuable insights into the role of breathing patterns in pain modulation and the underlying cardiovascular mechanisms involved. While the study focused on healthy participants and experimental pain, future research should explore the efficacy of SDB in clinical pain populations and investigate long-term effects. There have been other studies that have looked at slow deep breathing in individuals with chronic pain and we will dive into those in later articles.
Incorporating a Breathing Routine Into Your Life
So how do you incorporate a breathing routine into your life? First find the time. Look at your schedule and find 5-20 minutes where you can sit down uninterrupted. Honestly, that’s the hardest part and one of the reasons I suggest some people start with just 5 minutes a day and work up to 20 minutes. Second, I like to put on some relaxing music for me that’s singing bowls and flutes or running water. You don’t have to put on music but I get tired of hearing myself breathe. I’ll start the music and then set a timer and honestly my breathe work depends on my schedule. There are some days I do in for 20 minutes and other days where I don’t get any in at all, but I try and shoot for 4 days a week. Lastly, breathe. Take a breath in for 6 seconds (preferably through the nose) and then slowly exhale out of your mouth for 12 seconds. That’s it continue this for the amount of time you set your timer for and you’re on your way to a healthier, better regulated nervous system and less pain.
I hope you enjoyed this blog and always feel free to reach out to me at drcoffman@optimizecolumbus.com with any questions.
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