【Enhancing Well-being Through Deep Breathing】Experience the Importance of 'Deep Breathing' in Daily Life at a Sauna – 'Sauna × Deep Breathing Experience Event' Held

NEC Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President, CEO, and Representative Executive Officer: Takayuki Morita; hereinafter 'NEC') and BREATHER Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Shigenobu Tachio; hereinafter 'BREATHER'), which sells deep-breathing habit support devices such as 'ston s' and the breathing cushion 'fufuly,' jointly held a participatory event titled 'Sauna × Deep Breathing Experience Event' on May 24, 2026, at 'Baba Sauna & Work Cafe.' The event aimed to create experiences that enhance NEC employees' work performance and to promote BREATHER's vision of cultivating a culture of deep breathing.

On the day, 32 participants, including members of NEC's Sauna Club, took part. Attendees first participated in a deep-breathing seminar led by breathing coordinator Junya Yoshioka, where they learned the 'Kihon no Kokyuu®' method. They then practiced these breathing techniques during sauna sessions, experiencing firsthand the importance of deep breathing in daily life.

The event was co-organized by BREATHER and Junya Yoshioka (Representative of Ikinuku), who operates the sleep care salon 'Nemuritasu' and conducts training programs for 'Kihon no Kokyuu®' breathing instructors, along with business support and seminars.

Background of the Event

In today's era, where human capital management is increasingly important, NEC is focusing on initiatives that contribute to employee well-being and engagement. As part of this effort, NEC is exploring new ways to support employees' mental and physical health and motivation. One such initiative focuses on 'deep breathing'—a self-care practice accessible to everyone in daily life. This event aimed to allow participants to experience, in the relaxing environment of a sauna, how breath quality affects their mental and physical state, offering new insights applicable to work and everyday life.

Event Overview

Event Name: 'Sauna × Deep Breathing Experience Event'

Target Audience: NEC employees, their families, and friends

Program:

- Deep breathing lecture seminar - Breathing guidance inside the sauna room - Practical deep breathing using 'ston s (Ston Es)' during indoor and outdoor cooling periods - Aufguss (heat wave and essential oil ritual performed by staff at Baba Sauna & Work Cafe)

Number of Participants: 32

Venue: Baba Sauna & Work Cafe

Duration: 4 hours

Event Details

Participants were divided into two groups and attended seminars led by breathing coordinator Junya Yoshioka.

During the seminar, attendees learned breathing techniques based on 'Kihon no Kokyuu®,' focusing on exhaling, as well as breathing tips for different phases—inside the sauna, in the cold plunge pool, and during indoor and outdoor cooling periods. They also participated in group discussions about their sauna experiences, measured their breaths per minute to assess their current breathing patterns, and used BREATHER's deep-breathing support device 'ston s (Ston Es)' [Note 1] to experience changes in their breathing and deepen their understanding of the differences before and after practicing the techniques.

During the subsequent sauna experience, participants practiced the breathing techniques they had learned while bathing. During indoor and outdoor cooling periods, they engaged in conscious deep breathing using 'ston s (Ston Es).'

Note 1: 'ston s (Ston Es)' is a device designed to visualize breathing—steam becomes less visible with deep breaths and more visible with shallow breaths.

After the seminar, during the sauna experience, participants received guidance on deep breathing techniques inside the sauna and practiced conscious deep breathing using 'ston s (Ston Es)' during indoor and outdoor cooling periods.

Breathing guidance inside the sauna and 'ston s' use during outdoor cooling

Survey Results

Post-event survey 1) revealed outcomes related to the 'sense of well-being' (totonoi) and willingness to apply breathing techniques in daily life, through practicing breathing methods and using 'ston s (Ston Es)' during the sauna experience.

* Number of survey respondents: n=17 (17 out of 32 participants responded)

1. Approximately 80% of participants showed a decrease in breaths per minute [Note 2]

During the theoretical seminar led by the breathing coordinator, participants measured their 'breaths per minute.' When comparing the first and second measurements, 76.5% of participants showed a decrease in breath count.

In open-ended responses, participants shared comments such as: 'I realized my everyday breathing is shallow,' 'I noticed that focusing on exhaling rather than inhaling leads to better breathing,' and 'By extending the exhale, I felt calmer and mentally clearer.'

Note 2: Proportion of participants whose breath count decreased from the first to the second measurement, in response to the question: 'Please share any feelings, realizations, or perceived changes when comparing your first and second breath counts,' along with recorded breath count data. A decrease in breath count suggests a shift from shallow, rapid breathing to deeper, slower breathing. This event suggests that focusing on and practicing 'deep breathing' can help transition toward slower, more relaxed breathing patterns, even when daily stress and fatigue tend to cause shallow breathing.

2. Approximately 60% of participants reported that using 'ston s (Ston Es)' enhanced their 'sense of well-being (totonoi)' [Note 3]

Regarding whether using 'ston s (Ston Es)' during indoor and outdoor cooling periods enhanced their 'sense of well-being (totonoi),' 58.8% responded that it did.

Note 3: Proportion of respondents who answered 'strongly agree' or 'somewhat agree' to the question: 'Did you feel that using 'ston s (Ston Es)' during indoor and outdoor cooling enhanced your sense of well-being (totonoi)?'

3. Over 90% of participants expressed interest in incorporating breathing techniques into daily life and work [Note 4]

Regarding whether they would like to incorporate the breathing techniques learned at this event into daily life and work, 94.1% responded 'yes.'

Note 4: Proportion of respondents who answered 'very interested' or 'somewhat interested' to the question: 'Would you like to incorporate the breathing techniques learned at this event into your daily life and regular work?'

<Comment from Mr. Junya Yoshioka (Representative, Ikinuku)>

I believe deep breathing is a highly effective approach to enhancing the 'quality of well-being (totonoi).' The 'totonoi' experienced in sauna bathing depends not only on temperature and facility conditions but also on one's physical state on a given day. While sauna enthusiasts each have their own routines, 'breathing' is something that can be seamlessly integrated without disrupting existing habits, helping to regulate the body's condition itself. Rather than entering the sauna carrying daily fatigue and tension, creating a state receptive to heat, cold, and rest through deep breathing is essential for deepening the sauna experience. In particular, 'exhaling' is a crucial switch that releases bodily tension and makes one more receptive to stimuli. I hope this experience serves as an opportunity for participants to recognize the potential of breathing in sauna practice.

<Comment from NEC Sauna Club>

The concept of 'Sauna × Deep Breathing Experience' resonates deeply with the