The Effects of a Mindfulness Program on Running Performance, Respiratory Function, and Heart Rate Variability

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Mindful meditation: 20-minute, video-based mindful meditation focusing on relaxation

Breathwork: 20-minute, video-based meditation focusing on breathwork: physiological sigh, cyclic breathing with breath holds, resonant frequency breathing

Study summary

Broadly, the objective of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of a specific breathwork program (Les Mills Breath) on various physiological variables related to running performance, compared to a mindfulness control (20 minutes of guided meditation). There are three specific research questions: 1) Does daily participation in a 20-minute breathwork program improve respiratory function more than a mindfulness control intervention? 2) Does daily participation in a 20-minute breathwork program improve heart rate variability (an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system activity which is associated with enhanced exercise recovery) more than a mindfulness control intervention? 3) Does daily participation in a 20-minute breathwork program increase self-selected running speeds at relative moderate and vigorous intensities more than a mindfulness control intervention? The intended outcomes of the current research are to contribute to the field of research which has examined various forms of "respiratory training" and their effects on athletic performance, specifically running. While certain training protocols have been shown to be effective, there are issues of accessibility which persist. Methods of respiratory training/breathwork which are more easily available to recreational athletes are understudied with regards to running performance, hence the current research.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Preferred running speed at moderate intensity — From baseline to followup (4 weeks later)
  Following a warmup, the speed on a treadmill will be increased until the participant signals that an exertion level of 12/20 is reached on the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale, corresponding to moderate intensity and feeling "somewhat hard". The participant will run at this intensity for five minutes. The speed will be blinded to the participant throughout the data collection, encouraging them to rely on physical cues of exertion.
• Preferred running speed at vigorous intensity — From baseline to follow-up (4 weeks after baseline)
  Following the five minutes running at 12/20 (moderate) intensity, the speed will again be increased until a subjective exertion level of 16/20 (vigorous, and feeling "very hard") is reached. The subject will continue running at this intensity for 5 minutes. The running speed at each phase will be noted by the researcher.

Trial sites (1)

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