Deep Breathing Offers Heart Benefits Comparable to Endurance Exercise, Meta-Analysis Finds
13.06.2026 - 10:33:34 | boerse-global.de
A new review published June 12 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology has found that regular breathing exercises can protect the heart almost as effectively as aerobic sports. The analysis showed significant improvements in blood pressure, resting heart rate, and blood lipid levels – particularly good news for people who spend long hours sitting at a desk.
The technique behind the results is deceptively simple: a prolonged exhalation. Physiotherapist Friederike Reumann presented two methods on June 11 that work on this principle: the 4-7-8 breathing pattern and Ujjayi breathing, a yogic practice. Both activate the parasympathetic nervous system by stimulating the vagus nerve, lowering the body’s stress response. "It sounds esoteric, but it isn’t," Reumann said.
The findings come as workplace health experts push for low-effort, high-impact routines that fit into a busy day. Dr. Felix Rapp addressed an audience of about 140 participants in Zumikon on June 12, stressing that the human body adapts at any age. His recommended starter exercise: the single-leg stand, also called the flamingo. "Just five minutes a day improves your condition," Rapp said.
Another physiotherapist, Will Harlow, had singled out goblet squats in mid-June as an ideal all-round exercise for healthy aging. He noted that 10 to 20 repetitions per set are enough, provided the intensity is high – stopping one to two reps short of muscle failure keeps the body challenged without overloading it.
Digital tools are also entering the mix. The project EDIH Südwestfalen is working with the partners Plankpad and Marien Aktiv on exergames – movement-based video games that train core stability, balance, and coordination. A scientific evaluation of the games is currently underway.
Beyond individual fitness, workplace health is increasingly seen as a social issue. On June 16, a conference on inclusion will take place in Vienna under the title "Disability, Illness, Loneliness – You are not alone!" Organised by the trade union vida, the Vienna Chamber of Labour (AK Wien), and the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB), the event will present a new guide on addressing loneliness in the workplace.
Meanwhile, in Kassel, the fitness campaign 06Dreissig offers free sessions based on the Tabata principle, using only body weight. Short, intense, and requiring no equipment – exactly the kind of no-fuss approach that experts are now recommending.
