Does Holding Your Breath Lower Your Heart Rate? Heart Rate and Breathing Explained

Quick answer: Holding your breath does not reliably lower your heart rate. Your heartbeat naturally changes with breathing: in many healthy people, heart rate rises slightly during inhalation and falls during exhalation. This normal pattern is called respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Breath-holding produces a more complex response and may cause heart rate to rise, remain relatively unchanged, or decrease depending on the circumstances.

Some specialized breath-holding conditions can trigger a slower heartbeat, but that does not make prolonged breath-holding a safe way to lower your resting heart rate.

Important: Do not use prolonged breath-holding, forceful straining, or repeated breath-hold challenges to treat a racing heartbeat. If an unusual heart rate occurs with chest pain, significant shortness of breath, fainting, or severe dizziness, seek emergency medical care.

To understand the relationship between breathing and heart rate, follow this framework:

Breathing Pattern → Autonomic Response → Heart Rate Change → Measurement Context → Safety

Does Holding Your Breath Actually Lower Your Heart Rate?

Sometimes heart rate decreases during a breath hold. However, the response is not consistent enough to use breath-holding as a general heart-rate-lowering technique.

Scientific studies have shown that heart rate during breath-holding depends on several factors:

• whether the person is resting or exercising;
• how the breath hold begins;
• whether the person has inhaled or exhaled beforehand;
• the duration of the breath hold;
• changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide;
• blood pressure and autonomic reflexes;
• whether the face or body is immersed in water; and
• individual physiological differences.

For example, a person resting on land may show a small decrease in heart rate during a breath hold, while someone exercising intensely may show an increase.

A physiology review published in 2012 examined the popular idea that people can voluntarily slow their heart rate and metabolism to extend breath-holding time.

The review found that, during breath-holding at rest without immersion, average heart rate may rise, remain unchanged, or fall slightly. It also found no convincing evidence that people could reliably reduce their overall metabolic rate below normal resting levels simply by holding their breath.

A brief reduction in heart rate does not mean the body has entered a safer, healthier, or more efficient state.

What happens to oxygen and carbon dioxide during breath-holding?

Breathing allows your body to take in oxygen and remove carbon dioxide.

When you stop breathing, these processes change.

Your body continues to use oxygen and produce carbon dioxide even though fresh air is not entering your lungs.

As a breath hold continues:

• carbon dioxide generally accumulates;
• available oxygen may decrease;
• chemical sensors respond to changing blood gases;
• blood pressure and autonomic nervous system activity can change; and
• the urge to breathe usually becomes stronger.

These changes can influence heart rate, but they are not the same as relaxation.

Long or repeated breath holds can cause significant discomfort, lightheadedness, and potentially dangerous oxygen deprivation.

Deliberate hyperventilation before breath-holding is particularly dangerous around water because it can delay the normal urge to breathe and contribute to loss of consciousness.

There is no health benefit in testing how long you can remain without breathing to make a wearable display a lower BPM value.

Why Does Heart Rate Change When You Inhale and Exhale?

Even without holding your breath, your heartbeat is not perfectly uniform.

In many healthy people, heart rate changes slightly throughout the respiratory cycle.

This is called respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA).

The typical pattern is:

Inhale → Heart Rate Rises Slightly

Exhale → Heart Rate Falls Slightly

These changes are usually normal and reflect interactions between breathing, the autonomic nervous system, blood pressure regulation, and cardiac rhythm control.

What is respiratory sinus arrhythmia?

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia is a normal variation in the timing of heartbeats that occurs in relation to breathing.

Despite the word "arrhythmia," it is commonly a healthy physiological pattern rather than a dangerous heart rhythm disorder.

The heart's natural pacemaker continues to control the rhythm, while the time between heartbeats changes slightly with inhalation and exhalation.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia is often more noticeable in younger people and may become less pronounced with age.

The amount of variation also differs between individuals and depends on breathing conditions.

It should not be confused with atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, or another pathological arrhythmia.

If you experience persistent irregular palpitations, fainting, unexplained dizziness, or other concerning symptoms, a healthcare professional may need to evaluate your heart rhythm.

How does the vagus nerve affect heart rate?

The autonomic nervous system regulates many functions that happen without conscious effort.

Its sympathetic and parasympathetic components help regulate cardiovascular activity in response to the body's needs.

The vagus nerve provides an important pathway for parasympathetic influences on the heart.

During normal breathing, vagal influences on the heart vary rhythmically.

In simplified terms:

• During inhalation, vagal braking of the heart's natural pacemaker often decreases temporarily.
• During exhalation, vagal influence often increases, allowing the heart rate to slow slightly.

Breathing-related changes in blood pressure and reflex regulation also contribute to the pattern.

This explains why slower breathing can sometimes make heart-rate fluctuations more noticeable.

However, a stronger momentary fluctuation does not prove that someone has a healthier nervous system or that their "vagal tone" has permanently increased.

Why does your heart slow down when you breathe out?

During exhalation, parasympathetic influences often become more prominent and the interval between heartbeats may increase.

As a result, the instantaneous heart rate can decrease slightly.

This is a temporary, normal adjustment.

It does not mean that exhaling as slowly as possible will continuously drive heart rate downward.

Once the respiratory cycle changes, the heart-rate response changes as well.

Normal respiratory heart-rate variation is different from deliberately forcing the heart to beat more slowly.

Breath-Holding, the Diving Reflex, and Valsalva Are Different

Several physiological processes can change heart rate, but they should not be treated as interchangeable.

What is the diving reflex?

The diving reflex is a physiological response that can occur during breath-holding, particularly when the face is exposed to cold water.

It involves multiple responses, including:

• slowing of the heart rate in some circumstances;
• constriction of blood vessels in parts of the body;
• changes in blood pressure; and
• redistribution of circulation.

The combination is complex.

A lower heart rate may occur alongside increased blood pressure and other cardiovascular responses.

That means diving-related bradycardia should not be interpreted as simple relaxation or improved cardiovascular health.

Do not attempt prolonged underwater breath-holding or extreme cold-water techniques to lower heart rate.

Is Valsalva the same as holding your breath?

No.

The Valsalva maneuver involves straining against a closed airway, creating pressure changes in the chest and cardiovascular system.

It produces different physiological phases in which heart rate and blood pressure may increase or decrease.

In clinical care, appropriately selected vagal maneuvers may help terminate certain types of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT).

However, these techniques are not appropriate for every fast heart rhythm.

They can also cause complications such as fainting or abnormal cardiovascular responses, particularly in people with relevant medical conditions.

Do not attempt Valsalva maneuvers, carotid massage, or forceful straining to treat an unexplained fast heartbeat unless a qualified healthcare professional has specifically instructed you to do so.

What Research Shows About Breath-Holding and Slow Breathing

Research is more informative when the experimental conditions are clearly separated.

A breath hold while resting is not the same intervention as breath-holding during a sprint.

Likewise, paced breathing with normal airflow is not the same as stopping ventilation.

A 2025 study found higher heart rate during exercise with breath-holding

A controlled study published in 2025 compared 20-second high-intensity exercise performed with normal breathing and with breath-holding.

The study included 20 participants who maintained the same power output in both conditions.

The researchers reported:

During exercise, heart rate was higher in the breath-holding condition.

During recovery, heart rate was lower, while post-exercise systolic blood pressure was higher.

This illustrates why interpreting one lower heart-rate value without its timing and context can be misleading.

The study was small and investigated short breath holds during intense exercise. Its results should not be used to prescribe breath-holding for people who want to lower their resting heart rate.

What does research say about slow breathing?

Slow, comfortable breathing has a different evidence base.

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis examined research on voluntary slow breathing and heart rate variability.

The review identified 223 eligible studies across its different analyses.

It found increases in several vagally mediated HRV measures during slow breathing, immediately after individual sessions, and following multi-session interventions.

These findings suggest that breathing patterns can influence autonomic cardiovascular regulation.

However, they do not establish that:

• every slow-breathing exercise permanently lowers resting heart rate;
• higher HRV during a breathing session means someone's cardiovascular health has improved;
• breathing exercises can treat a heart rhythm disorder; or
• prolonged breath-holding is necessary to obtain relaxation benefits.

Slow breathing may be useful as a relaxation practice, particularly when stress contributes to feeling physically activated.

It should not replace treatment of the underlying cause of an unexplained heart-rate change.

How to Breathe More Comfortably When Stress Raises Your Heart Rate

If stress or anxiety is contributing to a temporary increase in heart rate, gentle breathing may help you settle.

The goal is comfortable breathing and reduced physical tension, rather than reaching a particular BPM as quickly as possible.

You do not need to hold your breath to try this approach.

A simple breathing routine without breath holds

If you feel otherwise well and have no concerning symptoms:

1. Choose a comfortable position. Sit with your feet supported or lie down if that feels better.
2. Relax your shoulders and jaw. Avoid tensing your chest, neck, or abdominal muscles.
3. Inhale gently. Let air flow naturally through your nose if comfortable.
4. Exhale softly. Allow the breath to leave without pushing or straining. You may find a slightly longer exhalation comfortable.
5. Continue naturally. Repeat for a few minutes without forced deep breaths or pauses.
6. Stop if you feel unwell. Return to normal breathing if dizziness, tingling, discomfort, or unusual breathlessness develops.

There is no need to achieve a particular number of breaths per minute.

Do not force yourself to inhale more air than feels comfortable or make exhalation so long that you become distressed.

If you have a diagnosed respiratory or cardiovascular condition, follow any individualized breathing or rehabilitation guidance provided by your clinician.

Why longer breath holds are not a better relaxation strategy

Some popular breathing exercises include short pauses between inhalation and exhalation.

Those structured pauses should not be confused with extended breath-holding challenges.

Prolonging a breath hold can increase the urge to breathe and cause discomfort, lightheadedness, or other physiological stress responses.

Trying to hold the breath longer to force a lower wearable heart-rate reading is not a safe approach.

If your primary goal is general stress management, a comfortable breathing rhythm without intentional pauses is a reasonable place to start.

What if your heart rate stays high?

Not every fast heart rate is caused by stress.

Other possible contributors include:

• recent exercise;
• caffeine or other stimulants;
• dehydration;
• fever or infection;
• pain;
• medication effects;
• anemia;
• thyroid conditions; and
• heart rhythm disorders.

Breathing exercises cannot reliably correct these underlying causes.

For a broader guide to evaluating common triggers and responding appropriately, see how to lower your heart rate safely.

When Should You Worry About Heart-Rate Changes?

Small heart-rate fluctuations associated with ordinary breathing are common.

However, some heart-rate changes deserve medical evaluation, especially when they are persistent, unexplained, or accompanied by symptoms.

Do not use breath-holding to test whether a concerning heart rhythm can be forced back to normal.

A persistent or recurrent abnormal rhythm may require an electrocardiogram (ECG) or other clinical evaluation.

For a better understanding of measurements taken under ordinary resting conditions, see our guide to how to measure resting heart rate correctly.

Can a Smart Ring Track Breathing-Related Heart-Rate Changes?

Wearables can help people observe supported heart-rate and wellness trends, but the type of measurement matters.

A smart ring can track physiological signals during daily life and sleep without requiring another large screen on the wrist.

For example, the RingConn Gen 3 health tracking ring uses optical photoplethysmography (PPG) to estimate Heart Rate in beats per minute.

It also provides Heart Rate Variability (HRV), Sleep, Stress, and other supported wellness information.

These trends can add context to changes in rest, sleep, activity, and daily routines.

Why a heart-rate trend graph may not show each breathing cycle

Heart rate can change slightly from one breath to the next.

However, a consumer wearable may display measurements collected or summarized at intervals rather than providing a continuous beat-by-beat ECG record.

As a result, the displayed graph may not capture each small heart-rate acceleration during inhalation or deceleration during exhalation.

PPG measurements can also be affected by movement, sensor contact, and other measurement conditions.

A smooth trend line does not prove that respiratory sinus arrhythmia is absent.

Likewise, a fluctuating optical heart-rate graph cannot diagnose respiratory sinus arrhythmia or another specific heart rhythm.

How breathing can affect HRV readings

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) describes variation in the intervals between heartbeats.

Because breathing naturally influences heartbeat timing, deliberate changes in breathing pace can also influence certain HRV measurements.

This is especially important during slow-breathing exercises, when breathing-related changes in heart rhythm may become more prominent.

However, HRV is also influenced by:

• sleep;
• recent exercise;
• stress;
• illness;
• alcohol;
• medications; and
• measurement conditions.

A temporary rise in HRV during a breathing exercise does not automatically mean the vagus nerve is healthier or the body has fully recovered.

For more context on what these measurements represent, read our guide to HRV vs. resting heart rate.

Use personal trends, not a breath-holding test

If you use a smart ring, a useful approach is:

Consistent Resting Conditions → Heart Rate Trend → HRV Context → Personal Baseline → Symptoms

Rather than deliberately holding your breath to produce a lower number, review measurements taken naturally under reasonably consistent conditions.

RingConn is not a medical device and cannot diagnose arrhythmias, determine vagal nerve function, or confirm that a particular breathing method is medically effective.

The role of wearable data is to support personal wellness awareness, not to replace cardiovascular assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does holding your breath always lower your heart rate?

No. Heart rate may rise, stay relatively unchanged, or decrease during breath-holding. The response depends on whether you are resting or exercising, the duration and conditions of the breath hold, and cardiovascular reflexes. Breath-holding is not a reliable way to lower resting heart rate.

Why does my heart rate increase when I inhale and decrease when I exhale?

This is commonly caused by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), a normal variation in heartbeat timing linked to breathing. During inhalation, heart rate often increases slightly; during exhalation, it often decreases. Autonomic regulation, including vagal influences on the heart, contributes to the pattern.

Is respiratory sinus arrhythmia dangerous?

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia is generally a normal physiological finding, especially in healthy younger people. It is different from a pathological arrhythmia. However, persistent unexplained palpitations, fainting, significant dizziness, or other concerning symptoms deserve appropriate medical evaluation.

Can slow breathing lower heart rate without holding your breath?

Gentle slow breathing may help some people relax and reduce short-term physiological activation, especially when stress contributes to a higher heart rate. Research also supports changes in some HRV measures during slow breathing. However, the effect varies, and breathing exercises cannot treat every cause of a fast heartbeat.

Does holding your breath increase heart rate variability?

Breathing patterns can influence HRV, but prolonged breath-holding does not reliably improve HRV or cardiovascular health. Research supporting increased vagally mediated HRV largely concerns controlled slow breathing rather than forcing long breath holds. A temporary HRV change should not be interpreted as a direct measure of vagus nerve health.

Can holding your breath or doing Valsalva stop a racing heart?

Some specific vagal maneuvers, including Valsalva, may help terminate certain supraventricular tachycardias when appropriately used under clinical guidance. They do not treat every rapid heart rhythm and can cause adverse effects. Do not try forceful breath-holding, straining, or carotid massage to treat an unexplained racing heartbeat without professional instruction.

Can a smartwatch or smart ring detect respiratory sinus arrhythmia?

Consumer wearables may show heart-rate variation related to breathing, but optical measurements and periodically sampled trend graphs are not equivalent to a clinical ECG. They cannot reliably establish the precise rhythm causing a change. A healthcare professional may use ECG-based testing when a rhythm assessment is needed.

Final takeaway: Normal breathing influences heart rate, but holding your breath does not provide a reliable or universally safe way to make the heart beat more slowly.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia explains why heart rate often rises slightly during inhalation and falls during exhalation. Breath-holding produces more complicated responses that depend on autonomic regulation, blood pressure, blood gases, physical activity, and the conditions of the breath hold.

Use:

Breathing Pattern → Autonomic Response → Heart Rate Change → Measurement Context → Safety

If you want to relax, gentle breathing without forced pauses is a more appropriate starting point than prolonged breath-holding.

If your heart rate is persistently high, unusually low, irregular, or accompanied by concerning symptoms, focus on identifying the underlying cause and seeking appropriate medical care instead of trying to force the number down.

Medical disclaimer: This article provides general education and is not personalized medical advice. RingConn products are intended for personal health and wellness awareness and are not medical devices. Consumer Heart Rate, HRV, Sleep, Stress, and other supported wellness measurements should not be used to diagnose arrhythmias, evaluate vagal nerve function, prescribe breathing interventions, or replace ECG testing and professional medical assessment. Do not use prolonged breath-holding or forceful straining to treat an unexplained heart-rate abnormality. Seek emergency medical care for chest pain, significant shortness of breath, fainting, severe dizziness, or other concerning symptoms.