This study aims to investigate the impact of high ventilation breathwork (HVB) and meditation on altered states of consciousness (ASCs). The study will compare the effects of a single guided HVB session to a single guided body scan meditation session. The primary aim is to explore the impact of HVB and meditation on ASCs, while secondary aims relate to mental health and wellbeing.
The study is a randomised controlled trial (RCT) involving up to 24 healthy adult participants who have prior experience with HVB. Participants will be randomly allocated to either the HVB or meditation group. The study will assess outcomes such as altered states of consciousness, mystical experiences, emotional breakthroughs, and overall wellbeing.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
24
Single guided conscious connected breathing session.
Single guided body scan meditation session.
University of Sussex
Brighton, Sussex, United Kingdom
Altered states of consciousness
Five Dimensions of Altered States of Consciousness Scale. Comprises five subscales: oceanic boundlessness, dread of ego dissolution, visionary restructuralisation, auditory alterations and vigilance reduction. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more profound altered states of consciousness.
Time frame: Immediately after the intervention.
Mystical experience
Mystical Experience Questionnaire Brief. Comprises four subscales: transcendence, positive mood, ineffability, and mystical. Scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating a more profound mystical experience.
Time frame: Immediately after the intervention.
Emotional breakthrough
Emotional Breakthrough Inventory. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater levels of emotional breakthrough (reflecting a better outcome).
Time frame: Immediately after the intervention.
Psychological insight
Psychological Insight Scale. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater psychological insight. An additional item separately evaluates self-reported behavioural change resulting from a psychedelic experience.
Time frame: Post-intervention (one week after the intervention).
Depersonalisation
Cambridge Depersonalisation Scale (State-Version). Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater levels of dissociative symptoms.
Time frame: Immediately after the intervention.
Fatigue
Shortened Fatigue Questionnaire. Scores range from 4 to 28, with higher scores indicating more severe fatigue.
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Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).
Sleep-related impairment
PROMIS Item Bank v. 1.0 - Sleep-Related Impairment - Short Form 4a (score range: 5-20; higher scores denote worse outcome). Data scored using a T-score transformation according to PROMIS Sleep scoring manual on: www.healthmeasures.net
Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).
Mental wellbeing
Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS) (score range: 7 to 35; higher scores denote better outcome). Total raw scores are then transformed into metric scores using the SWEMWBS conversion table on: www.warwick.ac.uk
Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).
Depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress
Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) - stress, anxiety and depression subscales (score range for each: 0-21; higher scores denote worse outcomes). Score on DASS-21 then multiplied by two to convert it to the longer form DASS-42 final score.
Time frame: Baseline and post-intervention (one week before and after the intervention).