Diaphragmatic Breathing Influences Recovery Metrics after Aerobic Exercise

Author(s)

Trace L. Cruz, Liberty UniversityFollow

Date

2-7-2024

Department

School of Health Sciences

Degree

Master of Science in Human Performance (MS)

Chair

Will Peveler

Keywords

Diaphragmatic breathing, Aerobic exercise, recovery, heart rate recovery, heart rate

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Physiology

Recommended Citation

Cruz, Trace L., "Diaphragmatic Breathing Influences Recovery Metrics after Aerobic Exercise" (2024). Masters Theses. 1106.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1106

Abstract

Recovery from aerobic exercise is multifaceted and highly complex. Recovery includes cellular repair, substrate availability, autonomic nervous system status, and many other factors that comprise homeostasis. The present study is designed to assess the influence of diaphragmatic breathing after aerobic exercise to exhaustion. Diaphragmatic breathing is deep rhythmical breathing that is known to influence the autonomic nervous system, specifically through cranial nerve X (Vagus nerve). Subjects (n=12, age = 22.3±1.15 years old, height = 67.882.17 inches, weight =154.4515.20 pounds, BF% = 15.785.43). Performed four VO2max tests on two different days (2 each day). On each day, subjects performed a 20:00 recovery protocol between VO2 max tests. Heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and blood lactate was measured directly after each rest protocol. HR, HRV, blood lactate, VO2max, and time to exhaustion (TTE) were compared using paired sample t-tests. Significance is set at p ≤ 0.05.HR was significantly lower after diaphragmatic breathing (p=.012). There were no statistically significant differences in any other variables between diaphragmatic breathing and the control rest intervention.