The Effects of Brief Muscle Relaxation and Breathing Exercises on Anxiety and Perception of Breathing

There were two intervention groups, Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) and Breathing Exercises (BE), and one control group (CON; see Comparator/ control treatment section). Participants were randomly allocated into one of the groups and listened to the allocated group audio-clip. Progressive Muscle Relaxation - Audio-clip prerecorded by researcher of 14 minute 34 second duration administered to participants individually which consisted of instructions to guide individuals to purposefully manipulate their body to tense and relax different muscle groups (for example, instructions to clench and unclench their fists to tense and relax their arm muscles, pointing their toes up to tense their calf muscles). Administered once via headphones at the venue of the experimental session, and under direct observation to ensure adherence to the intervention. Breathing Exercise - Audio-clip prerecorded by researcher of 14 minute 32 second duration administered to participants individually which consisted of instructions to guide individuals through two breathing exercises -cyclic sighing and box breathing. The cyclic sighing exercise consisted of instructions guiding participants through a 5 second inhale and a 5 second exhale, followed by a pause after the exhale - with emphasis on noticing the body's natural urge to breath before returning to normal breathing rate. The box breathing exercise involved instructions that gradually worked participants up to inhaling for 5 seconds, holding the breath for 5 seconds, exhaling for 5 seconds, and holding again for 5 seconds. This audio was administered once via headphones at the venue of the experimental session, and under direct observation to ensure adherence to the intervention.