This article is reprinted from NeuroRegulation: Peper E, Harvey R, Cuellar Y, Membrila C. (2022). Reduce anxiety. NeuroRegulation, 9(2), 91–97. https://doi.org/10.15540/nr.9.2.91 https://www.neuroregulation.org/article/view/22815/14575

Abstract

More than half of college students self-report some kind of anxiety and depression. This study reports how a university course that incorporated structured self-experience practices may reduce symptoms of self-reported anxiety associated with college stress and strain. 98 college Junior and Senior students were enrolled in a Holistic Health class that focused on ‘whole-person’ Holistic Health curriculum and included the exploration of psychobiology of stress, the role of posture, and the psychophysiology of respiration. The class included daily self-practices of awareness of stress, muscle relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing and posture awareness. The students were instructed to apply these techniques whenever they become aware of, or experienced, sensations of stress or dysfunctional breathing during the day. After five weeks of practice, the students self-reported a 73% reduction in anxiety, 68% reduction in stress, 27% reduction in neck and shoulder discomfort, 26% reduction in abdominal discomfort; 18% of abdominal discomfort and 16% reduction in menstrual cramps. We recommend that schools incorporated a ‘whole-persons’ self-care approach within their curriculum to teach students skills to prevent and reduce anxiety and stress and therapists teach these skills before beginning bio/neurofeedback.

As a result of my practice, I felt my anxiety decrease as well as it reduced my menstrual cramps. I felt very calm and felt my anxiety at ease especially on the days where my anxiety was eating me alive. –College senior

When I changed back to slower diaphragmatic breathing I was more aware of the negative emotions and I was able to reduce the stress and anxiety I was feeling with the deep diaphragmatic breath. -College junior