Effect of short-term pranayama and meditation on cardiovascular functions in healthy individuals

Abstract

Context:Asana, pranayama, and meditation are three main techniques of yoga practiced in India over thousands of years to attain functional harmony between the body and mind. Recent studies on long-term yogic practices have shown improvements in cardiovascular functions.Aim:The present study was conducted to ascertain if a short-term practice of pranayama and meditation had improvements in cardiovascular functions in healthy individuals with respect to age, gender, and body mass index (BMI).Settings and Design:This interventional study was conducted in the Department of physiology of S.N. Medical College, Bagalkot.Patients and Methods:Fifty healthy subjects (24 males and 26 females) of 20–60 years age group, fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria underwent two hours daily yoga program for 15 days taught by a certified yoga teacher. Pre and post yoga cardiovascular functions were assessed by recording pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean blood pressure.Statistical analysis used:The parameters were analyzed by Student's t test.Results:There was significant reduction in resting pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial blood pressure after practicing pranayama and meditation for 15 days. The response was similar in both the genders, both the age groups, <40 yrs and >40 yrs and both the groups with BMI, <25 kg/m2 and >25 kg/m2.Conclusion:This study showed beneficial effects of short term (15 days) regular pranayama and meditation practice on cardiovascular functions irrespective of age, gender, and BMI in normal healthy individuals.

Effect of Yoga on pulmonary function tests

“…3,6 It has been reported that regular Yoga practice resulted in decrease in resting respiratory rate. 7 It has also been reported that short term Yoga practice resulted in significant improvement in BHT 8,9 and MVV. 10 In a study with subjects between the ages of 40 to 60 years with no previous Yoga experience, 80 % showed improvement in breath holding time after the completion of an intensive Yoga program.…”

Efeito De Uma Sessão De Ioga Sobre a Pressão Arterial E Frequencia Cardíaca Em Mulheres Hipertensas.

“…Esta modulação autonômica no ioga é mediada pela modificação dos padrões respiratórios que desencadeiam vários mecanismos centrais e autonômicos, bem como ajustes mecânicos e hemodinâmicos causando modificações tônicas e fásicas da função cardiovascular (RAGHURAJ et al, 1998;ANKAD et al, 2011).…”

“…Em uma revisão sistemática da literatura, Ospina et al (2008) O ioga tem mostrado benefícios terapêuticos em pessoas saudáveis (ANKAD et al, 2011) e para diferentes patologias, incluindo a HA, como terapia complementar no seu tratamento (McCAFFREY, 2005).…”

“…O ioga tem a proposta de estimular o sistema nervoso parassimpático, sendo que esta modulação autonômica no ioga é mediada pela modificação dos padrões respiratórios que desencadeiam vários mecanismos centrais e autonômicos, bem como ajustes mecânicos e hemodinâmicos causando modificações tônicas e fásicas da função cardiovascular (RAGHURAJ et al, 1998;ANKAD et al, 2011). Os exercícios respiratórios são praticados em várias formas de meditação e podem influenciar as funções autonômicas, sendo o possível responsável pelo efeito terapêutico em pacientes hipertensos.…”

Role of yoga therapy on lipid profile in patients of hypertension and prehypertension

“…The physiological effects of Yoga training that have been previously reported include the inhibition of body weight gain, reduction in cholesterol levels and blood pressure along with improvement in immune function as well as beneficial psychological effects. [5][6][7][8][9][10] Obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia are one of the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The characteristic features of Indian dyslipidemia are a high plasma triglyceride concentration, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentration and increased concentration of small dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles.…”