A 14-week structured breathing program: an investigation into its impact on psychological health parameters in university students.

BACKGROUND

University students are prone to high levels of stress, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, which can negatively affect their mental health and academic performance. Breathing exercises have been suggested as a simple and effective intervention to reduce these issues. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a 14-week structured breathing exercises program on the psychological well-being of physical therapy students, focusing on subjective happiness, sleep quality, worry levels, and emotional regulation.

METHODS

This was a non-randomized study that included 46 s-year students. The intervention group received weekly 30-minute sessions of breathing exercises for 14 weeks, while the control group continued their usual activities. Data were collected at baseline and 14 weeks using validated questionnaires such as Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Statistical analysis included paired samples t-tests and Wilcoxon singed-rank test.

RESULTS

The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in subjective happiness (p < 0.0001), positive affect (p < 0.0001), and sleep quality (p = 0.0001) post-intervention. A significant decrease was observed in worry levels (p = 0.0001), and negative affect was modestly reduced (p = 0.02). The control group showed no significant changes except for a minor increase in subjective happiness (p = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

The 14-week structured breathing program significantly enhanced subjective happiness, emotional regulation, and sleep quality, reducing worry levels among physical therapy students. The results could contribute to integrating these techniques into educational programs and developing accessible strategies to improve student well-being.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov on 09.05.2024 under the identification ID NCT06341569 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06341569 ).