Physical Activity, Mindfulness Meditation, or Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Stress Reduction: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback June 25, 2015 Judith Esi van der Zwan, Wieke de Vente, Anja C. Huizink et al. 321 citations
A randomized controlled trial compared three self-help methods—physical activity, mindfulness meditation, and heart rate variability biofeedback—for reducing stress. 126 participants were allocated to one of the three groups; 76 agreed to participate. Each intervention involved psycho-education, introduction to the technique, and five weeks of daily home exercises. Physical activity was vigorous exercise of choice; mindfulness used guided meditation; biofeedback used slow breathing with a device. Participants received daily reminders and weekly check-ins. Results showed overall beneficial effects: reduced stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, plus improved psychological well-being and sleep quality. No significant differences were found between the three methods, suggesting they are equally effective for stress reduction.