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Simply breathing anxiety away? A pilot, just-in-time ecological momentary intervention study of one-minute cyclic sighing versus box breathing as tools for acute anxiety reduction and attention promotion in real life.

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Title: Simply breathing anxiety away? A pilot, just-in-time ecological momentary intervention study of one-minute cyclic sighing versus box breathing as tools for acute anxiety reduction and attention promotion in real life.
Authors: Riedl EM; Department of Social and Health Pedagogy, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett, Germany., Bracklo T; Department of Psychological Assessment and Intervention, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett, Germany., Wimmer K; Coaching and Counselling for Good Work, Berlin, Germany., Perzl J; Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, Julius Maximilian University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany., Gdynia HJ; m&i-Fachklinik Enzensberg, Fuessen, Germany., Thomas J; Department of Psychological Assessment and Intervention, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett, Germany., Surzykiewicz J; Department of Social and Health Pedagogy, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett, Germany.
Source: Anxiety, stress, and coping [Anxiety Stress Coping] 2026 Sep; Vol. 39 (5), pp. 608-622. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Apr 19.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Routledge Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9212242 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1477-2205 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 10615806 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Anxiety Stress Coping Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: 2005- : London : Routledge
Original Publication: Chur ; New York : Harwood Academic Publishers ; Reading, Berkshire, UK : Distributed by STBS Ltd., c1992-
MeSH Terms: Attention*/physiology , Anxiety*/therapy , Anxiety*/psychology , Breathing Exercises*/methods, Students/psychology ; Students/statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Pilot Projects ; Female ; Male ; Young Adult ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Ecological Momentary Assessment ; Adult
Abstract: Background and Objectives: In this preregistered pilot study, we conducted a just-in-time ecological momentary intervention to examine the real-life effects of two different one-minute breathing exercises on state anxiety and attention in acute threat situations among university students, with trait anxiety serving as a moderator.
Methods: During acute threat situations, 47 participants completed a short questionnaire assessing state anxiety. They were subsequently assigned to one of three conditions: box breathing, cyclic sighing or a passive control condition. Five minutes later, state anxiety and attention were measured.
Results: Compared with the control condition, both box breathing and cyclic sighing were associated with greater reductions in state anxiety. Interestingly, the students made fewer inhibition errors in the attention test after the box breathing condition. This effect was more pronounced for individuals with high levels of trait anxiety. Unexpectedly, box breathing and cyclic sighing were negatively related to attention efficiency: there were longer reaction times after the breathing exercises than after the control condition.
Conclusions: This study suggests that box breathing and cyclic sighing may be effective methods for reducing anxiety in everyday life.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Breathing exercises; cognitive performance; just-in-time ecological momentary intervention; state anxiety; trait anxiety
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260419 Date Completed: 20260826 Latest Revision: 20260826
Update Code: 20260826
DOI: 10.1080/10615806.2026.2659809
PMID: 42002307
Database: MEDLINE
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  Data: Simply breathing anxiety away? A pilot, just-in-time ecological momentary intervention study of one-minute cyclic sighing versus box breathing as tools for acute anxiety reduction and attention promotion in real life.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Riedl+EM%22">Riedl EM</searchLink>; Department of Social and Health Pedagogy, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett, Germany.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Bracklo+T%22">Bracklo T</searchLink>; Department of Psychological Assessment and Intervention, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett, Germany.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Wimmer+K%22">Wimmer K</searchLink>; Coaching and Counselling for Good Work, Berlin, Germany.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Perzl+J%22">Perzl J</searchLink>; Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, Julius Maximilian University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Gdynia+HJ%22">Gdynia HJ</searchLink>; m&i-Fachklinik Enzensberg, Fuessen, Germany.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Thomas+J%22">Thomas J</searchLink>; Department of Psychological Assessment and Intervention, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett, Germany.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Surzykiewicz+J%22">Surzykiewicz J</searchLink>; Department of Social and Health Pedagogy, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett, Germany.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%229212242%22">Anxiety, stress, and coping</searchLink> [Anxiety Stress Coping] 2026 Sep; Vol. 39 (5), pp. 608-622. <i>Date of Electronic Publication: </i>2026 Apr 19.
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  Data: <i>Publisher: </i><searchLink fieldCode="PB" term="%22Routledge%22">Routledge </searchLink><i>Country of Publication: </i>England <i>NLM ID: </i>9212242 <i>Publication Model: </i>Print-Electronic <i>Cited Medium: </i>Internet <i>ISSN: </i>1477-2205 (Electronic) <i>Linking ISSN: </i><searchLink fieldCode="IS" term="%2210615806%22">10615806 </searchLink><i>NLM ISO Abbreviation: </i>Anxiety Stress Coping <i>Subsets: </i>MEDLINE
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  Data: <i>Publication</i>: 2005- : London : Routledge<br /><i>Original Publication</i>: Chur ; New York : Harwood Academic Publishers ; Reading, Berkshire, UK : Distributed by STBS Ltd., c1992-
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Attention%22">Attention*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Attention+physiology%22">physiology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Anxiety%22">Anxiety*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Anxiety+therapy%22">therapy</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Anxiety%22">Anxiety*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Anxiety+psychology%22">psychology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Breathing+Exercises%22">Breathing Exercises*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Breathing+Exercises+methods%22">methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Students%22">Students</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Students+psychology%22">psychology</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Students%22">Students</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Students+statistics+%26+numerical+data%22">statistics & numerical data</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Humans%22">Humans</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Pilot+Projects%22">Pilot Projects</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Female%22">Female</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Male%22">Male</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Young+Adult%22">Young Adult</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Surveys+and+Questionnaires%22">Surveys and Questionnaires</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Ecological+Momentary+Assessment%22">Ecological Momentary Assessment</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Adult%22">Adult</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Background and Objectives: In this preregistered pilot study, we conducted a just-in-time ecological momentary intervention to examine the real-life effects of two different one-minute breathing exercises on state anxiety and attention in acute threat situations among university students, with trait anxiety serving as a moderator.<br />Methods: During acute threat situations, 47 participants completed a short questionnaire assessing state anxiety. They were subsequently assigned to one of three conditions: box breathing, cyclic sighing or a passive control condition. Five minutes later, state anxiety and attention were measured.<br />Results: Compared with the control condition, both box breathing and cyclic sighing were associated with greater reductions in state anxiety. Interestingly, the students made fewer inhibition errors in the attention test after the box breathing condition. This effect was more pronounced for individuals with high levels of trait anxiety. Unexpectedly, box breathing and cyclic sighing were negatively related to attention efficiency: there were longer reaction times after the breathing exercises than after the control condition.<br />Conclusions: This study suggests that box breathing and cyclic sighing may be effective methods for reducing anxiety in everyday life.
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  Data: <i>Keywords: </i>Breathing exercises; cognitive performance; just-in-time ecological momentary intervention; state anxiety; trait anxiety
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  Data: <i>Date Created: </i>20260419 <i>Date Completed: </i>20260826 <i>Latest Revision: </i>20260826
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        Value: 10.1080/10615806.2026.2659809
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        StartPage: 608
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Students psychology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Students statistics & numerical data
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      – SubjectFull: Humans
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      – SubjectFull: Attention physiology
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      – SubjectFull: Breathing Exercises methods
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      – TitleFull: Simply breathing anxiety away? A pilot, just-in-time ecological momentary intervention study of one-minute cyclic sighing versus box breathing as tools for acute anxiety reduction and attention promotion in real life.
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              Text: 2026 Sep
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