Using Slow-Paced Breathing to Foster Endurance, Well-Being, and Sleep Quality in Athletes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been causing major disruptions in the sporting world. Negative physiological and psychological effects on athletes have been reported, such as respiratory issues and increased stress. Therefore, it is timely to support this population by presenting cost-effective and accessible intervention techniques to reduce this impact. Slow-paced breathing (SPB) has the potential to counteract many of the detrimental effects of COVID-19 that can directly affect sports performance. In this article, we present and justify the use of SPB in athletes by focusing on three key outcomes, namely aerobic endurance performance, emotional well-being, and sleep quality. We examine the physiological mechanisms that underpin these three outcomes and review literature showing that SPB can activate anti-inflammatory pathways, increase lung capacity and, in turn, improve aerobic endurance, emotional well-being, and sleep quality. We conclude that interventions using SPB can have preventive and rehabilitative properties for athletes. Future studies should empirically test the potential of SPB to help this specific population.

Effect of Bhramari Pranayama intervention on stress, anxiety, depression and sleep quality among COVID 19 patients in home isolation

“…Our findings highlight the impact of Bhr.P intervention in improving the psychological health for patients with COVID-19. Similar effects have been found in previous studies on COVID-19 patients with various forms of yoga interventions ( 12 , 22 , 23 , 24 ). Being first ever study using breathing exercise online (pranayama) for patients in home isolation, it’s difficult to compare our findings with earlier yoga studies.…”

Well-being and its relationship with sports and physical activity of students during the coronavirus pandemic

“…Not only the behavior during the pandemic—but also prior to it—plays a crucial role. Javelle, Laborde, Hosang, Metcalfe, and Zimmer ( 2021 ) found similar results, showing that physical activity is a significant predictor of stress perception during the first lockdown. According to Wright, Williams, and Veldhuijzen van Zanten ( 2021 ) physical activity during the pandemic also seems to work against the negative effects of coronavirus fear on adolescents’ mental health and well-being.…”

Emotional Intelligence Training: Influence of a Brief Slow-Paced Breathing Exercise on Psychophysiological Variables Linked to Emotion Regulation

“…Despite contrasting findings related to the subjective experience, findings regarding CVA are particularly relevant to consider, due to its role in emotion regulation and overall self-regulation [46,51,[87][88][89][90][91]]. CVA appears consequently as a relevant physiological marker to index the effectiveness of techniques used in EI training programs.…”