<p>Nick's answer is very thorough. I would add that the physiological symptoms of high-stress (muscle tightening, accelerated heartbeat, shallow quick breath) can be reversed by controlling breath voluntarily. So, when you change these physical conditions, emotional state often follows.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-20T18:15:43.570Z
2014-03-20T18:15:43.570Z
John Yetter
<p>Yup; basically, it works. <a href="http://www.hsj.gr/volume5/issue2/521.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Varvogli and Darviri <sup>(2011)</sup></a> review research on diaphragmatic breathing, reporting:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Deep breathing</strong> has been successfully used to decrease the <strong>fatigue</strong> associated with haemopoietic stem cell transplantation patients <sup>55</sup>, to reduce the <strong>anxiety</strong> and asthma signs/symptoms of children with asthma <sup>56</sup>, in the management of <strong>acute stressful</strong> tasks <sup>57</sup> showing that the slow-breathing technique can have a significant effect on improvement of the hemodynamic changes following the <strong>acute stressful</strong> tasks. Furthermore, it has been used to influence autonomic functions in patients with essential hypertension and thus reduce it <sup>58–59</sup>, in the management of male adolescent <strong>aggressive</strong> behaviour <sup>60</sup>, in long term prophylaxis of migraine <sup>61</sup>, in <strong>stress</strong> related to dental visits <sup>62</sup>.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Fatigue, anxiety, stress, and aggression are all negatively valent (see <a href="https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/a/5337/4086">the diagram in this answer</a>; aggression doesn't appear, but is a form of negative arousal). It wouldn't be surprising if effects on hypertension and migraine incidence are partially mediated by emotional changes either.</p>

<p><sub><strong>References</strong><br>
Varvogli, L., &amp; Darviri, C. (2011). Stress management techniques: Evidence-based procedures that reduce stress and promote health. <em>Health Science Journal, 5</em>(2), 74–89. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.hsj.gr/volume5/issue2/521.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.hsj.gr/volume5/issue2/521.pdf</a>.</sub></p>

<ul>
<li><p><sub>As cited within Varvogli &amp; Darviri (2011):</sub></p>

<p><sub>$55$. Sang-Dol, K., &amp; Hee-Seung, K. (2005). Effects of a relaxation breathing exercise on fatigue in haemopoietic stem cell transplantation patients. <em>Journal of Clinical Nursing, 14</em>(1), 51–55.<br>
$56$. Chiang, L. C., Ma, W. F., Huang, J. L., Tseng, L. F., &amp; Hsueh, K. C. (2009) Effect of relaxation-breathing training on anxiety and asthma signs/symptoms of children with moderate-to-severe asthma: A randomized controlled trial. <em>International Journal of Nursing Studies, 46</em>(8), 1061–1070. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.researchgate.net/publication/24043294_Effect_of_relaxation-breathing_training_on_anxiety_and_asthma_signssymptoms_of_children_with_moderate-to-severe_asthma_a_randomized_controlled_trial/file/60b7d52a52b71eff5e.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ResearchGate</a>.<br>
$57$. Nogawa, M., Yamakoshi, T., Ikarashi, A., Tanaka, S., &amp; Yamakoshi, K. (2007). Assessment of slow-breathing relaxation technique in acute stressful tasks using a multipurpose non-invasive beat-by-beat cardiovascular monitoring system. <em>Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc</em>, 5323–5325.<br>
$58$. Mourya, M., Mahajan, A. S., Singh, N. P., &amp; Jain, A. K. (2009). Effect of slow- and fast-breathing exercises on autonomic functions in patients with essential hypertension. <em>Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15</em>(7), 711–717.<br>
$59$. Kaushik, R. M., Kaushik, R., Mahajan, S. K., &amp; Rajesh, V. (2006). Effects of mental relaxation and slow breathing in essential hypertension. <em>Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 14</em>(2), 120–126.<br>
$60$. Gaines, T., &amp; Barry, L. M. (2008). The effect of a self-monitored relaxation breathing exercise on male adolescent aggressive behavior. <em>Adolescence, 43</em>(170), 291–302.<br>
$61$. Kaushik, R., Kaushik, R. M., Mahajan, S, K., &amp; Rajesh, V. (2005). Biofeedback assisted diaphragmatic breathing and systematic relaxation versus propranolol in long term prophylaxis of migraine. <em>Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 13</em>(3), 165–174.<br>
$62$. Biggs, Q. M., Kelly, K. S., &amp; Toney J. D. (2003). The effects of deep diaphragmatic breathing and focused attention on dental anxiety in a private practice setting. <em>Journal of Dental Hygiene, 77</em>(2), 105–113.
</sub></p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-20T06:51:54.660Z
Nick. You probably don't know but these answers full of references are breathtaking. I guess I'm in love with you. :3
Red Banana
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-20T15:30:35.277Z
"Breathtaking" eh? I see what you did there! :D I'll have to check out your other questions and see if I can capitalize on your high regard for me ;) Don't give me too much credit on this one though! Varvogli & Darviri (2011) was one of the first Google hits for something like "deep breathing negative emotion research", and I really just copied and checked references from their article, since it happened to include a decent review already (the quoted section above).
Nick Stauner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-21T09:46:25.807Z
Yes. But it would be kinda hard for me to search. I'm not from cognitive sciences, but I do have interest in some things. I believe that my vocabulary for searching it in my native languange is poor, but it should be much worse in english. Thanks anyway. :)
Red Banana
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-21T17:34:24.087Z
Oh, I wasn't suggesting that you should've found this stuff on your own, just that I didn't do anything too amazing for this answer :) But do give it a shot whenever you have a question! You'd be amazed at how easy it is to find useful research sometimes! Especially by searching with the word "research" ;) Feel free to ask me for help in choosing keywords too if you don't have full-fledged questions to ask here...and clearly no harm done in asking this one. It's pretty popular already!
Nick Stauner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-20T00:03:49.413Z
2014-03-20T00:03:49.413Z
2017-04-13T12:56:16.467Z
Nick Stauner
<p>Sometimes when I have negative feelings, it seems that a deep breath resets these feelings. Does that really happen? Is there any research on the effect of taking a deep breath on reducing the experience of negative emotions?</p>

<emotion><physiology><stress><mood>
Does taking a deep breath reduce the experience of stress and negative emotions?
Red Banana
# Does taking a deep breath reduce the experience of stress and negative emotions?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-03-18)

Sometimes when I have negative feelings, it seems that a deep breath resets these feelings. Does that really happen? Is there any research on the effect of taking a deep breath on reducing the experience of negative emotions?

**Tags:** emotion, physiology, stress, mood


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-03-20. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

Yup; basically, it works. [Varvogli and Darviri (2011)](http://www.hsj.gr/volume5/issue2/521.pdf) review research on diaphragmatic breathing, reporting:

> **Deep breathing** has been successfully used to decrease the **fatigue** associated with haemopoietic stem cell transplantation patients 55, to reduce the **anxiety** and asthma signs/symptoms of children with asthma 56, in the management of **acute stressful** tasks 57 showing that the slow-breathing technique can have a significant effect on improvement of the hemodynamic changes following the **acute stressful** tasks. Furthermore, it has been used to influence autonomic functions in patients with essential hypertension and thus reduce it 58–59, in the management of male adolescent **aggressive** behaviour 60, in long term prophylaxis of migraine 61, in **stress** related to dental visits 62.

Fatigue, anxiety, stress, and aggression are all negatively valent (see [the diagram in this answer](https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/a/5337/4086); aggression doesn't appear, but is a form of negative arousal). It wouldn't be surprising if effects on hypertension and migraine incidence are partially mediated by emotional changes either.

**References**  
Varvogli, L., & Darviri, C. (2011). Stress management techniques: Evidence-based procedures that reduce stress and promote health. *Health Science Journal, 5*(2), 74–89. Retrieved from <http://www.hsj.gr/volume5/issue2/521.pdf>.

* As cited within Varvogli & Darviri (2011):

  $55$. Sang-Dol, K., & Hee-Seung, K. (2005). Effects of a relaxation breathing exercise on fatigue in haemopoietic stem cell transplantation patients. *Journal of Clinical Nursing, 14*(1), 51–55.  
  $56$. Chiang, L. C., Ma, W. F., Huang, J. L., Tseng, L. F., & Hsueh, K. C. (2009) Effect of relaxation-breathing training on anxiety and asthma signs/symptoms of children with moderate-to-severe asthma: A randomized controlled trial. *International Journal of Nursing Studies, 46*(8), 1061–1070. Retrieved from [ResearchGate](http://www.researchgate.net/publication/24043294_Effect_of_relaxation-breathing_training_on_anxiety_and_asthma_signssymptoms_of_children_with_moderate-to-severe_asthma_a_randomized_controlled_trial/file/60b7d52a52b71eff5e.pdf).  
  $57$. Nogawa, M., Yamakoshi, T., Ikarashi, A., Tanaka, S., & Yamakoshi, K. (2007). Assessment of slow-breathing relaxation technique in acute stressful tasks using a multipurpose non-invasive beat-by-beat cardiovascular monitoring system. *Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc*, 5323–5325.  
  $58$. Mourya, M., Mahajan, A. S., Singh, N. P., & Jain, A. K. (2009). Effect of slow- and fast-breathing exercises on autonomic functions in patients with essential hypertension. *Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15*(7), 711–717.  
  $59$. Kaushik, R. M., Kaushik, R., Mahajan, S. K., & Rajesh, V. (2006). Effects of mental relaxation and slow breathing in essential hypertension. *Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 14*(2), 120–126.  
  $60$. Gaines, T., & Barry, L. M. (2008). The effect of a self-monitored relaxation breathing exercise on male adolescent aggressive behavior. *Adolescence, 43*(170), 291–302.  
  $61$. Kaushik, R., Kaushik, R. M., Mahajan, S, K., & Rajesh, V. (2005). Biofeedback assisted diaphragmatic breathing and systematic relaxation versus propranolol in long term prophylaxis of migraine. *Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 13*(3), 165–174.  
  $62$. Biggs, Q. M., Kelly, K. S., & Toney J. D. (2003). The effects of deep diaphragmatic breathing and focused attention on dental anxiety in a private practice setting. *Journal of Dental Hygiene, 77*(2), 105–113.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Nick. You probably don't know but these answers full of references are breathtaking. I guess I'm in love with you. :3  
> **username_2**: "Breathtaking" eh? I see what you did there! :D I'll have to check out your other questions and see if I can capitalize on your high regard for me ;) Don't give me too much credit on this one though! Varvogli & Darviri (2011) was one of the first Google hits for something like "deep breathing negative emotion research", and I really just copied and checked references from their article, since it happened to include a decent review already (the quoted section above).  
> **username_0**: Yes. But it would be kinda hard for me to search. I'm not from cognitive sciences, but I do have interest in some things. I believe that my vocabulary for searching it in my native languange is poor, but it should be much worse in english. Thanks anyway. :)  
> **username_2**: Oh, I wasn't suggesting that you should've found this stuff on your own, just that I didn't do anything too amazing for this answer :) But do give it a shot whenever you have a question! You'd be amazed at how easy it is to find useful research sometimes! Especially by searching with the word "research" ;) Feel free to ask me for help in choosing keywords too if you don't have full-fledged questions to ask here...and clearly no harm done in asking this one. It's pretty popular already!  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2014-03-20. Score: 1

Nick's answer is very thorough. I would add that the physiological symptoms of high-stress (muscle tightening, accelerated heartbeat, shallow quick breath) can be reversed by controlling breath voluntarily. So, when you change these physical conditions, emotional state often follows.


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