BreathePulse: Peripheral Guided Breathing via Implicit Airflow Cues for Information Work

Workplace stress contributes to poor performance and adverse health outcomes, yet current stress management tools often fall short in the fast-paced modern workforce. Guided slow breathing is a promising intervention for stress and anxiety, with peripheral breathing guides being explored for concurrent task use. However, their need for explicit user engagement underscores the need for more seamless, implicit interventions optimized for workplaces. In this mixed-method, controlled study, we examined the feasibility and effects of BreathePulse, a laptop-mounted device that delivers pulsing airflow to the nostrils as an implicit cue, on stress, anxiety, affect, and workload during two levels of a memory (N-Back) task with 23 participants. We found that BreathePulse, the first airflow-only breathing guide, effectively promoted slow breathing, particularly during the easy memory task. Participants' breathing rates aligned with BreathePulse's guidance across tasks, with the longest maintenance of slow breathing - over 40% of the time - during the easy task. Although BreathePulse increased workload and had little impact on stress, it promoted mindfulness, indicating its potential for stress management in the workplace.