Mindful Attention to Breath With or Without Yogic Breathing Decreases Smoking Choice: A Preliminary Laboratory Investigation

Abstract

Introduction: Mindful attention to breath (MAB) is a common component of mindfulness-based interventions for smoking. Other types of breathing strategies including taking deep breaths, diaphragmatic breathing, and yogic breathing have also been advised for smoking cessation. Surprisingly, there has been little research directly investigating the efficacy of breathing techniques on smoking outcomes. The aim of this laboratory study was to test the effects of MAB with and without a controlled yogic breathing component on smoking behavior. Methods: Twelve-hour abstinent daily smokers (N?=?33; 39% female; M?=?9.61 cigarettes per day; 67% African American) were randomly assigned to a 20-min intervention consisting of (1) MAB, (2) mindful Ujjayi yogic breathing (MYB), or (3) no treatment (NT). Results: Compared with NT, MAB (Hazard ratio [HR]?=?0.187, p?=?0.023) and MYB (HR?=?0.266, p?=?0.048) both reduced the risk of smoking during a 50-min smoking versus money choice task. Furthermore, the MAB group reported significantly greater postmanipulation serenity (i.e., relaxed, calm, and at ease) than MYB and NT. No differences among the conditions were observed for ratings of smoking craving, affect, or withdrawal symptoms. Qualitative data indicated high acceptability of the MAB exercise with participants reporting uniformly positive descriptors of MAB in terms of satisfaction (e.g., ?relaxing?), utility (e.g., ?very helpful?), and ease of use (?not at all difficult?). Discussion: Findings suggest MAB is an easily disseminable and cost-effective strategy that may promote smoking abstinence and should be further explored.

Keywords

• smoking cessation
• breathing
• mindfulness
• craving
• pranayama
• smoking choice