Will doing mindful breathing four times a day help my symptom scores?
Mindful breathing is a simple, non-drug technique where you focus on your breath. A 2020 study tested whether doing four 30-minute sessions each day could improve symptom scores in people with advanced cancer. The answer is yes: patients who practiced mindful breathing four times daily had significantly lower total symptom scores on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) compared to those receiving standard care alone 4.
What the research says
A randomized controlled trial from 2020 enrolled 80 adults with advanced cancer who had at least moderate symptoms (score ≥4 on two or more ESAS items) 4. Half were assigned to four daily 30-minute mindful breathing sessions plus standard care, and the other half received standard care alone 4. After each session, the mindful breathing group showed statistically significant reductions in total ESAS scores following all four sessions (p<0.001 for sessions 1-3, p<0.05 for session 4) 4. In contrast, the control group only had significant reductions after sessions 1 and 3 4. This suggests that the breathing practice provided consistent symptom relief beyond what standard care alone achieved. While this study is promising, it is a single trial with a relatively small sample (40 per group) 4. Other non-drug approaches, such as fan therapy for breathlessness 3 and affective touch for existential distress 7, have also shown benefits in advanced cancer, but the evidence for mindful breathing specifically comes from this one trial. Telehealth-based palliative care interventions have also been shown to reduce symptom burden in advanced cancer 2, but that study did not test mindful breathing directly.
What to ask your doctor
- Could a daily mindful breathing routine be a helpful addition to my current symptom management plan?
- Are there any reasons I should avoid mindful breathing, such as breathing difficulties or other health conditions?
- How can I learn proper mindful breathing techniques — are there resources or programs you recommend?
- Should I track my symptom scores (like on the ESAS) to see if the breathing sessions are helping me?
- Are there other non-drug approaches, such as fan therapy or touch interventions, that might also help my symptoms?
This question is drawn from common patient questions about this topic and answered using cited medical research. We do not provide individualized advice.