Vol. 34 (2024)
Artículos de Investigación

Effects of diaphragmatic breathing training on autonomic activity and emotional state of irregular university students

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  • Gerardo Ruvalcaba Palacios,
  • Claudia Marcela Cantú Sánchez,
  • Xiomara Yiritza Ruvalcaba Galván
Gerardo Ruvalcaba Palacios
Universidad de Guanajuato
Claudia Marcela Cantú Sánchez
Nursing and Obstetrics Department, Campus Irapuato Salamanca, University of Guanajuato
Bio
Xiomara Yiritza Ruvalcaba Galván
School of Medicina, Quetzalcoatl University at Irapuato
Bio
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15174/au.2024.4049

Published 2024-05-15

How to Cite

Ruvalcaba Palacios, G., Cantú Sánchez, C. M., & Ruvalcaba Galván, X. Y. (2024). Effects of diaphragmatic breathing training on autonomic activity and emotional state of irregular university students. Acta Universitaria, 34, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.15174/au.2024.4049

Abstract

Breathing training is useful for modifying the emotional and autonomic state. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of diaphragmatic breathing on autonomic activity and emotional state of irregular university students. Through non-probability sampling and without a control group, a relaxation training was performed. Emotional (anxiety, depression, and stress) and autonomic variables (galvanic skin conductance [GSC] and heart rate [HR]) were measured to compare the records before and after training. The intervention promoted significant decreases in levels of depression (t = 5.559, gl = 28, p < 0.001), as well as in anxiety and stress (t = 6.432, gl = 28, p < 0.001). GSC also decreased (t = 2.327, gl = 28, p = 0.027) but not HR (t = 0.405, gl = 28, p = 0.689). That is, people were less stressed, but not more relaxed. Diaphragmatic breathing is effective for emotional control and autonomic functioning of irregular university students.

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