Using an ambulatory stress monitoring device to identify relaxation due to untrained deep breathing.

abstract

• The objective of this paper is to assess the efficacy of deep breathing as a relaxation activity using a wearable stress monitor. For this purpose, we developed a protocol with different mentally stressful activities interleaved with regular sessions of deep breathing. We used three physiological sensors: a heart rate monitor, a respiration sensor, and an electrodermal activity sensor, to extract parameters that are consistent with the dominance of the sympathetic nervous system. Our results indicate that a large number of subjects were not able to perform the paced deep breathing exercise properly, which caused their stress levels to increase rather than to decrease. The study also showed that our wearable stress monitor can be used to monitor breathing technique and assess its effectiveness in relaxing individuals.

authors

• Gutierrez-Osuna, Ricardo

published proceedings

• Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc

author list (cited authors)

• Khan, H. M., Ahmed, B., Choi, J., & Gutierrez-Osuna, R.

citation count

• 4

complete list of authors

• Khan, Hira Mujeeb||Ahmed, Beena||Choi, Jongyoon||Gutierrez-Osuna, Ricardo

publication date

• July 2013

publisher

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)  Publisher

published in

• Conference proceedings : ... Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual Conference  Journal

keywords

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Breathing Exercises
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Monitoring, Ambulatory
• Relaxation Therapy
• Stress, Psychological
• Sympathetic Nervous System
• Young Adult

PubMed Central ID

• 24110044

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1109/EMBC.2013.6609857

start page

• 1744

end page

• 1747

volume

• 2013

URL

• http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1109%2Fembc.2013.6609857