Thank you for your interest in taking part in our online survey! Below, we would like to give you some information about the study and the data collected.
 

What is this study about?
We are investigating the psychological effects of high-ventilation breathwork, which can have a variety of effects on consciousness. We are specifically interested in the effects that can occur in the days and weeks following a session of high-ventilation breathwork.
 

What is high-ventilation breathwork?
High-ventilation breathwork is the conscious modification of the breathing pattern through deliberately deepened and/or accelerated breathing, sustained over an extended period of time (typically several minutes at a stretch, up to an hour). Considerably more air is inhaled than the body needs at rest, and breathing is continuous, without consciously pausing after each breath (individual longer breath-holds between phases may occur, depending on the method). Physical sensations such as tingling in the hands or face, dizziness, or temporary cramping of the hands often occur. Intense experiences or altered states of consciousness can arise.

Known methods include, among others:
●    Conscious Connected Breathing (CCB)
●    Rebirthing Breathwork
●    Holotropic Breathwork (developed by Stanislav Grof)
●    Transformational Breath
●    Shamanic-oriented breathwork
●    Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY)
●    Wim Hof Method
●    Holorenic Breathwork
●    Circular Breathwork

What does not count?
This study does not refer to breathing techniques aimed at calming or reducing breathing, or in which breathing is held after each breath. With these techniques, breathing is not increased, but rather reduced or kept at a normal level. Effects associated with high-ventilation breathwork typically do not occur with these techniques. 

These include:
●    slow or slowed breathing techniques (e.g. coherent breathing / resonance breathing, 4-7-8 breathing)
●    breathing patterns with conscious breath-holding after each inhalation and exhalation (e.g. box breathing / "square breathing")
●    techniques with consciously reduced breathing / hypoventilation (e.g. the Buteyko method)
●    calm abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing for relaxation
●    pure breath-focused meditation or mindfulness practice
●    pure breath-holding or apnea training (without preceding intense, accelerated breathing)
 

How long does participation take and what do I get out of it?

Participation in the survey will take about 10 - 15 minutes, plus an optional 15 minutes. Participation is voluntary, and you can stop filling out the questionnaire at any time by closing your browser window. There is no direct benefit to you from participating. However, by sharing your experiences, you make a valuable contribution to research on the psychological aftereffects of high-ventilation breathwork.

Is participation anonymous?
Participation in the survey is completely anonymous, and no IP address will be stored. At the beginning of the questionnaire, we will ask for some personal information, such as age and gender. This information cannot be used to trace who filled out the questionnaire. The study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Institute of Psychology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (EK…).
 

Who can participate in the study?
Anyone who meets the following requirements can participate in this study:
●    You are at least 18 years old
●    You have practiced high-ventilation breathwork within the last 4 weeks
●    You can read German or English

Are there any risks associated with participating in the study?
Completing the questionnaire requires you to recall your breathwork experience. This may temporarily bring up intense feelings or memories. If you experience significant distress during the survey, you can stop your participation at any time.

Who can I contact with questions?
If you have any questions about the study, you can contact the principal investigator, Dr. Ricarda Evens (email: ricarda.evens@hu-berlin.de). If you would like to send us comments about the study, you also have the opportunity to do so in a text field at the end of the questionnaire.