Anti-Stress: A Wearable Device With Real-Time Breathing Feedback for Stress Relief

Abstract

Relieving stress is crucial for the health of modern individuals. Deep breathing exercises have been shown to be effective for stress relief. However, the effectiveness of deep breathing exercises is limited if feedback on breathing patterns is not provided instantly. For this, we propose a wearable device called Anti-Stress, which can provide users with breathing patterns in real-time, enabling them to dynamically adjust their breathing according to Anti-Stress instructions for optimal relaxation. In addition, Anti-Stress provides users with objective stress indices by measuring the user's heart rate variability (HRV). The accuracy of Anti-Stress in detecting breathing patterns is up to 99%, and its response time is less than 200 ms, ensuring users can receive immediate guidance. To evaluate the effectiveness of Anti-Stress, we recruited 60 participants to conduct an empirical experiment. The ANCOVA analysis shows that the experimental group significantly reduces stress by using Anti-Stress compared to the control group without it. Furthermore, the usability questionnaires including SUS and QUIS demonstrate Anti-Stress's higher usability compared to a traditional non-biofeedback app. Our analysis also reveals that people with high openness or neuroticism personalities had better stress relief by using Anti-Stress. The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility and practicality of our respiratory feedback mechanism in helping users relieve stress and enhancing the effectiveness of deep breathing exercises.

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