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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06916312

Comparing Effects of Intense Breathwork to Meditation on Altered States of Consciousness

This study aims to investigate the impact of high ventilation breathwork (HVB) and meditation on altered states of consciousness (ASCs). The study will compare the effects of a single guided HVB session to a single guided body scan meditation session. The primary aim is to explore the impact of HVB and meditation on ASCs, while secondary aims relate to mental health and wellbeing.

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Key information

Conditions

Altered States of Consciousness Wellbeing

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Sussex

Brighton, Sussex, BN1 9RH, United Kingdom

About this study

The study is a randomised controlled trial (RCT) involving up to 24 healthy adult participants who have prior experience with HVB. Participants will be randomly allocated to either the HVB or meditation group. The study will assess outcomes such as altered states of consciousness, mystical experiences, emotional breakthroughs, and overall wellbeing.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Healthy adults in Brighton and the surrounding area
  • Prior experience practising high ventilation breathwork in the form of conscious connected breathing
  • No history of adverse events during such prior breathwork sessions.

Exclusion criteria

  • History of hypotension
  • Hypertension
  • Respiratory or cardiovascular problems
  • Fainting or syncope
  • Epilepsy or seizures
  • Panic disorder or panic attacks
  • Cerebral aneurysm
  • Pregnancy (and possibility one might be pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or are breastfeeding)
  • Breathlessness
  • Bradypnea
  • Tachypnoea
  • Any mental/physical issues affecting the ability to engage in breath control activities.

Treatment and study plan

High ventilation breathwork

Behavioral

Single guided conscious connected breathing session.

Other names: Conscious connected breathing

Meditation

Behavioral

Single guided body scan meditation session.

Other names: Body scan

Primary outcomes

  1. Altered states of consciousness

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention.

    Five Dimensions of Altered States of Consciousness Scale. Comprises five subscales: oceanic boundlessness, dread of ego dissolution, visionary restructuralisation, auditory alterations and vigilance reduction. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more profound altered states of consciousness.

  2. Mystical experience

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention.

    Mystical Experience Questionnaire Brief. Comprises four subscales: transcendence, positive mood, ineffability, and mystical. Scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating a more profound mystical experience.

  3. Emotional breakthrough

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention.

    Emotional Breakthrough Inventory. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater levels of emotional breakthrough (reflecting a better outcome).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Psychological insight

    Time frame: Post-intervention (one week after the intervention).

    Psychological Insight Scale. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater psychological insight. An additional item separately evaluates self-reported behavioural change resulting from a psychedelic experience.

  2. Depersonalisation

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention.

    Cambridge Depersonalisation Scale (State-Version). Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater levels of dissociative symptoms.

  3. Fatigue

    Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).

    Shortened Fatigue Questionnaire. Scores range from 4 to 28, with higher scores indicating more severe fatigue.

  4. Sleep-related impairment

    Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).

    PROMIS Item Bank v. 1.0 - Sleep-Related Impairment - Short Form 4a (score range: 5-20; higher scores denote worse outcome). Data scored using a T-score transformation according to PROMIS Sleep scoring manual on: www.healthmeasures.net

  5. Mental wellbeing

    Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).

    Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS) (score range: 7 to 35; higher scores denote better outcome). Total raw scores are then transformed into metric scores using the SWEMWBS conversion table on: www.warwick.ac.uk

  6. Depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress

    Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).

    Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) - stress, anxiety and depression subscales (score range for each: 0-21; higher scores denote worse outcomes). Score on DASS-21 then multiplied by two to convert it to the longer form DASS-42 final score.

Other outcomes

  1. Psychedelic experience predictiveness

    Time frame: After completing consent form to participate in the study.

    Imperial Psychedelic Predictor Scale. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores donating higher predictiveness of having a psychedelic experience. Additional items assess rapport.

  2. General experience

    Time frame: One week post-intervention.

    Open-ended, free text.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Sussex

Other

Collaborators

  • DMT Quest
  • ResearchHub

Registry information

Official study title

Airways to Alteration: Investigating the Impact of Breathwork & Meditation on Conscious State

Acronym: A2A

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Apr 8, 2025
Registry last updated
Jun 18, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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