Comparing Effects of Intense Breathwork to Meditation on Altered States of Consciousness

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Altered States of Consciousness; Wellbeing

• Registration Number: NCT06916312
• Lead Sponsor: University of Sussex

Brief Summary

This study aims to investigate the impact of high ventilation breathwork (HVB) and meditation on altered states of consciousness (ASCs). The study will compare the effects of a single guided HVB session to a single guided body scan meditation session. The primary aim is to explore the impact of HVB and meditation on ASCs, while secondary aims relate to mental health and wellbeing.

Detailed Description

The study is a randomised controlled trial (RCT) involving up to 24 healthy adult participants who have prior experience with HVB. Participants will be randomly allocated to either the HVB or meditation group. The study will assess outcomes such as altered states of consciousness, mystical experiences, emotional breakthroughs, and overall wellbeing.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2025-02-17
• Status Verified: 2025-03
• Study First Submitted: 2025-03-24
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-03-31
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-31
• Study First Posted: 2025-04-08
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-08
• Primary Completion: 2025-06-11
• Study Completion: 2025-06-28

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 24

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy adults in Brighton and the surrounding area
• Prior experience practising high ventilation breathwork in the form of conscious connected breathing
• No history of adverse events during such prior breathwork sessions.

Exclusion Criteria

• History of hypotension
• Hypertension
• Respiratory or cardiovascular problems
• Fainting or syncope
• Epilepsy or seizures
• Panic disorder or panic attacks
• Cerebral aneurysm
• Pregnancy (and possibility one might be pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or are breastfeeding)
• Breathlessness
• Bradypnea
• Tachypnoea
• Any mental/physical issues affecting the ability to engage in breath control activities.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Emotional breakthrough	Immediately after the intervention.	Emotional Breakthrough Inventory. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater levels of emotional breakthrough (reflecting a better outcome).
Altered states of consciousness	Immediately after the intervention.	Five Dimensions of Altered States of Consciousness Scale. Comprises five subscales: oceanic boundlessness, dread of ego dissolution, visionary restructuralisation, auditory alterations and vigilance reduction. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more profound altered states of consciousness.
Mystical experience	Immediately after the intervention.	Mystical Experience Questionnaire Brief. Comprises four subscales: transcendence, positive mood, ineffability, and mystical. Scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating a more profound mystical experience.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Psychological insight	Post-intervention (one week after the intervention).	Psychological Insight Scale. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater psychological insight. An additional item separately evaluates self-reported behavioural change resulting from a psychedelic experience.
Depersonalisation	Immediately after the intervention.	Cambridge Depersonalisation Scale (State-Version). Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater levels of dissociative symptoms.
Fatigue	Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).	Shortened Fatigue Questionnaire. Scores range from 4 to 28, with higher scores indicating more severe fatigue.
Sleep-related impairment	Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).	PROMIS Item Bank v. 1.0 - Sleep-Related Impairment - Short Form 4a (score range: 5-20; higher scores denote worse outcome). Data scored using a T-score transformation according to PROMIS Sleep scoring manual on: www.healthmeasures.net
Mental wellbeing	Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).	Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS) (score range: 7 to 35; higher scores denote better outcome). Total raw scores are then transformed into metric scores using the SWEMWBS conversion table on: www.warwick.ac.uk
Depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress	Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).	Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) - stress, anxiety and depression subscales (score range for each: 0-21; higher scores denote worse outcomes). Score on DASS-21 then multiplied by two to convert it to the longer form DASS-42 final score.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Sussex; 🇬🇧 Brighton, Sussex, United Kingdom