A study on acute effect of deep breathing exercise on heart rate variability in healthy adults

Abstract

Introduction: Deep breathing is a stress condition with sequential events of alteration in the cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous system. Material and methods: Heart rate variability was calculated by using AD instrument powerlab labchart soft ware for five minutes, which is considered as the before values. Then subject was directed to inhale slowly up to the maximum of 5 seconds and exhale slowly up to the maximum of 5 sec. [i.e. at the rate of 6 breaths /min] for 5 minutes. This was followed by recording of the parameters which was considered as the after deep breathing exercise parameters. The data recorded was analysed by using SPSS 17th version by paired Student‘t’ test. Results: The mean values of heart rate before and after deep breathing exercise were 88.77 ± 8.67 and 88.94 ± 8.19 beats per minute respectively. The mean values of LF nu before and after deep breathing exercise were 50.42 ± 23.24and 51.1289 ± 22.93 respectively. The mean values of HF nu before and after deep breathing exercise were 48.10 ± 21.19 and 47.27 ± 21.28 respectively. The mean values of LF/HF ratio before and after deep breathing exercise were 1.81 ± 2.80 and 1.95± 2.89 respectively. Conclusion: Even though there was an increase in LF nu, decrease in HF nu and increase in LF/HF ratio but the values were not statistically significant.