Mindful Breathing for Just 20 Minutes Eases Cancer Pain

Up to half of all people with a cancer diagnosis experience moderate to severe pain during their illness. But a new study finds that a single 20-minute session of mindful breathing can rapidly relieve pain.

For the study, published in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, researchers in Malaysia looked at the effects of mindful breathing on a small group of adults with cancer. All of the people in the study rated their pain at least a four on a scale of one to ten. Twenty-one participants experienced a 20-minute guided mindful breathing session. The other 19 instead participated in a 20-minute session of supportive listening. Each participant rated their pain at the beginning and end of their 20-minute session.

During the supportive listening session, participants were asked about their experiences with cancer, and a researcher listened to and acknowledged their distress.

The mindful breathing session, by contrast, consisted of four steps that each lasted five minutes: 

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   mentally identifying the in-breath and the out-breath

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   following the entire length of the breath 

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   bringing the mind back to focusing on the body

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   relaxing the body

Compared to the supportive listening session, mindful breathing significantly reduced both the intensity and unpleasantness of pain that participants felt. It also significantly reduced levels of anxiety.

Past research has shown that 5-minute, 20-minute, and 30-minute mindful breathing sessions can ease breathlessness, fatigue, and suffering (including helplessness, alienation, powerlessness, and anguish) in people with cancer.

One previous study found that a single 5-minute session did not help cancer-related pain, however, so a longer session may be needed to have an effect on pain.

Future research that builds on the new study may look into whether a 10- or 15-minute session could reduce pain as well as a 20-minute session.

More research is needed to confirm the findings because there weren’t many people included in the study, and they were all treated for cancer at a single medical center. This study also didn’t look at how long the pain relief lasted after the end of the mindful breathing session.

Finally, although six people who participated in the study had a breast cancer diagnosis, the study included people with a wide range of types and stages of cancer. Future research could look at how mindful breathing affects pain and other symptoms in people with breast cancer specifically — and at various stages.

It’s easy to try to manage pain at home with your own 20-minute mindful breathing session. It may be helpful to have a friend or caregiver read out the instructions slowly and calmly to guide you through the session.

According to the study, here are the steps:

"Step 1 (5 minutes): identifying the in-breath and the out-breath

Make yourself comfortable. Relax your body. Close your eyes gently. Take two deep breaths slowly. Then, breathe naturally. Notice the flow of air through your nose. Rest your attention gently on the breath. Breathing in, you know you are breathing in. Breathing out, you know you are breathing out. In, out, in, out, in, out. If you are distracted by any sounds, body sensations, thoughts or feelings, gently come back to your breath. Be aware of your in-breath and out- breath for the next few minutes.

Step 2 (5 minutes): following the entire length of the breath

Continue to relax your body with your eyes closed. Continue to pay attention to your breath. Follow the entire length of your breath. Follow the beginning, middle and end of your in-breath, and the beginning, middle and end of your out-breath. If you are breathing in a long breath, you know you are breathing in a long breath. If you are breathing in a short breath, you know you are breathing in a short breath. If you are breathing out a long breath, you know you are breathing out a long breath. If you are breathing out a short breath, you know you are breathing out a short breath. Do not force yourself to take a long or short breath. Just breathe naturally. Be aware of the entire length of the breath. In, in, in, out, out, out. In, in, in, out, out, out. If you are distracted by any sounds, body sensations, thoughts or feelings, gently come back to your breath. Follow the entire length of your breath for the next few minutes.

Step 3 (5 minutes): bringing the mind back to the body

As you follow the entire length of your breath, bring your mind back to your body. Instead of thinking about the past or future, bring your mind back to now. Bring your mind and body together as one. As you breathe in, feel your whole body moving with your breathing in. As you breathe out, feel your whole body moving with your breathing out. Breathing in, you are aware of your whole body as you are breathing in. Breathing out, you are aware of your whole body as you are breathing out. Feel the different parts of your body as you breathe in and out. Then, feel the body as a whole, fully united with your mind. Feel the wholeness of yourself with each breath for the next few minutes.

Step 4 (5 minutes): relaxing the body

Once your breathing is harmonious, your body will relax naturally. Feel whether there is any tension in your body. Breathe and relax the tension one by one, from the top to the bottom. Relax your head, face, neck, arms, forearms, hands, chest, abdomen, legs and feet. Then relax your whole body all at once. Breathing in, you calm your body when you are breathing in. Breathing out, you smile. Again, breathing in, you calm your body when you are breathing in. Breathing out, you smile. In, out, calm, smile. In, out, calm, smile. In, out, calm, smile. Feel your breath flowing through your body and calming your body. Feel your breath leaving your body and smile. Continue to relax your whole body for the next few minutes."