Effects of High Ventilation Breathwork With Retention (HVBR) on Health

Inclusion criteria

(self-assessed):

• Fluent in English and living in the UK
• Have access to headphones
• Comfortable with faster breathing and holding breath
• Willing to only practice breathwork in safe environment, lying down in soft area (i.e., bed, sofa, carpet/mat), and always away from water & hard ground
• Willing to only practice the breathwork away from large meals (i.e., before or 1hour after) and bedtime (i.e., at least 1 hour before if practicing in evening)

Exclusion criteria

(self-assessed):

• Hypotension or hypertension (low or high blood pressure)
• History of respiratory or cardiovascular/heart problems or disease
• History of fainting or syncope
• Epilepsy or seizures
• History of panic disorder or panic attacks
• Cerebral aneurysm
• Have had problems with prior breathwork sessions (i.e., fainting)
• Pregnancy, think one might be pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or are breastfeeding
• Any problems which affect one's ability to pace their breathing (i.e., active/chronic respiratory infection including blocked nose/cough/cold/fever, etc.), breathlessness, abnormally slow breathing (bradypnea), or abnormally fast breathing (tachypnoea)
• Any other physical/mental health conditions or current life events which impair or affect one's ability to engage in activities involving breath control
• Are taking any regular medication other than the contraceptive pill, including medications to reduce blood pressure (i.e., Ramipril or other ACE-inhibitors), beta blockers (i.e., Propranolol), antidepressants, anxiolytics or any other psychotropic medications