FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): More than 7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades.
According to HeartMath, a California-based organization focused on heart rate variability and stress-management research, new studies suggest that daily heart coherence exercises may help support brain health and reduce biological markers associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
HeartMath cited a randomized clinical trial led by researchers at the University of Southern California that used the organization’s heart rate variability biofeedback technology. The study found participants who practiced slow-paced breathing exercises designed to promote “heart coherence” experienced reductions in blood levels of amyloid-beta, a protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
According to the researchers, participants practiced breathing at a rate of about five to six breaths per minute, a pattern believed to activate the vagus nerve and help shift the body away from chronic stress responses.
HeartMath also pointed to a 2025 review of research published through the National Institutes of Health that found heart coherence training may improve cognitive performance, memory recall and executive functioning.
The organization says the findings add to growing evidence that stress reduction and nervous system regulation could play a role in supporting long-term brain health.
However, researchers caution that Alzheimer’s disease is a complex neurological condition, and no breathing exercise or stress-management technique has been proven to prevent, cure or reverse the disease. Experts say additional research is needed to better understand the relationship between heart coherence practices and Alzheimer’s-related biomarkers.
HeartMath President Deborah Rozman says the techniques are intended to help reduce stress, improve emotional regulation and enhance mental clarity through regular practice.
For more information, listeners are encouraged to consult healthcare professionals and established organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association regarding Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment research.
