摘要

慢呼吸练习因其声称的健康益处而被现代人所采用。 这引起了研究人员和临床医生的兴趣，他们开始研究缓慢呼吸技术的生理（和心理）影响，并试图揭示其潜在机制。本文的目的是根据对健康人类的研究，全面概述正常呼吸生理学和缓慢呼吸技术的生理影响。 该综述重点关注对呼吸、心血管、心肺、和自主神经系统的生理影响，特别关注横膈肌活动、通气效率、血流动力学、心率变异性、心肺耦合、呼吸性窦性心律失常、和交感迷走神经平衡。 综述最后简要讨论了缓慢呼吸技术的潜在临床意义。 这是一个值得进一步研究、理解和讨论的话题。

关键点

• 缓慢呼吸练习因其声称的健康益处而在西方世界广受欢迎，但医学界相对没有触及。

• 对缓慢呼吸的生理影响的研究发现，它对呼吸、心血管、心肺、和自主神经系统有显着影响。

• 主要发现包括对呼吸肌活动、通气效率、化学反射和压力反射敏感性、心率变异性、血流动力学、呼吸性窦性心律失常、心肺耦合、和交感迷走神经平衡的影响。

• 似乎有可能使用受控缓慢呼吸技术作为优化生理参数的手段，这些参数似乎与健康和长寿相关，并且可能延伸到疾病状态； 然而，迫切需要对该领域进行进一步研究。

教育目标

• 全面概述正常人类呼吸生理学以及已记录的健康人类缓慢呼吸的影响。

• 回顾并讨论有关人类缓慢呼吸生理效应的机制的证据和假设。

• 提供缓慢呼吸的定义以及“自主优化呼吸”的构成。

• 就缓慢呼吸技术的潜在临床影响以及进一步研究的必要性展开讨论。

The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human

https://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/13/4/298

Abstract

Slow breathing practices have been adopted in the modern world across the globe due to their claimed health benefits. This has piqued the interest of researchers and clinicians who have initiated investigations into the physiological (and psychological) effects of slow breathing techniques and attempted to uncover the underlying mechanisms. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of normal respiratory physiology and the documented physiological effects of slow breathing techniques according to research in healthy humans. The review focuses on the physiological implications to the respiratory, cardiovascular, cardiorespiratory and autonomic nervous systems, with particular focus on diaphragm activity, ventilation efficiency, haemodynamics, heart rate variability, cardiorespiratory coupling, respiratory sinus arrhythmia and sympathovagal balance. The review ends with a brief discussion of the potential clinical implications of slow breathing techniques. This is a topic that warrants further research, understanding and discussion.

Key points

·       Slow breathing practices have gained popularity in the western world due to their claimed health benefits, yet remain relatively untouched by the medical community.

·       Investigations into the physiological effects of slow breathing have uncovered significant effects on the respiratory, cardiovascular, cardiorespiratory and autonomic nervous systems.

·       Key findings include effects on respiratory muscle activity, ventilation efficiency, chemoreflex and baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability, blood flow dynamics, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, cardiorespiratory coupling, and sympathovagal balance.

·       There appears to be potential for use of controlled slow breathing techniques as a means of optimising physiological parameters that appear to be associated with health and longevity, and that may extend to disease states; however, there is a dire need for further research into the area.

Educational aims

·       To provide a comprehensive overview of normal human respiratory physiology and the documented effects of slow breathing in healthy humans.

·       To review and discuss the evidence and hypotheses regarding the mechanisms underlying slow breathing physiological effects in humans.

·       To provide a definition of slow breathing and what may constitute “autonomically optimised respiration”.

·       To open discussion on the potential clinical implications of slow breathing techniques and the need for further research.