Examining the impact of combining yoga-based breathing techniques with short-bouts of walking on state anxiety: findings from two pilot randomised trials.

Background: Single bouts of exercise can reduce state anxiety, but little is known about the benefits of short-duration walking and the potential additional benefits of integrating yoga-based breathing techniques. This study aimed to investigate whether performing a yoga-based breathing pattern, breathwalk (BW), offers additional acute benefits compared to normal breathing, on state anxiety during a single bout of walking. Methods: Two pilot randomised trials (parallel groups) were conducted in healthy adults ( Results: In trial 1, there was no significant (group × time) interaction, but a significant main effect represented a reduction in state anxiety in both groups. In Trial 2, a significant interaction effect was found; only the BW group showed a significant reduction in anxiety over time. In both trials, effect sizes (reduction in state anxiety) were greater in the BW compared with the NW group. Conclusion: These trials provide further evidence of the beneficial effects of short, single bouts of walking on the mental well-being of young adults. There was preliminary evidence that the incorporation of a simple, breathing technique (breathwalk) provided greater anxiolytic effects than walking alone which warrants further investigation.