European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

This study evaluates the effect of Yoga on breath holding time in healthy individuals. This comparative study included 80 healthy subjects from both genders (40 males and 40 females) in the age group of 30-60 years. Subjects meeting the study inclusion- exclusion criteria were selected for the study and they were asked to attend at least 5 Yoga classes per week for duration of 12 weeks. Participant’s age, weight, height, & body mass index were recorded. Breath holding time after expiration and breath holding time after inspiration were recorded before & after twelve weeks of Yoga practice. Subjects served as their own control to minimize the confounding factors and to make the study more reproducible. To compare the changes in breath holding time before and after Yoga training, Student’s paired‘t’ test was used.Statistical analysis showed that there was highly significant (p<0.001) increase in Breath holding time after expiration and Breath holding time after inspiration after 12 weeks of Yoga practise. The response was similar in both the genders. Our results showed that regular practice of Yoga for minimum of 12 weeks is beneficial in improving breath holding time in healthy individuals. Highly significant increase in BHT exp & BHT insp indicates that Pranayama produces a wakeful hypo metabolic state of the body characterized by decreased consumption of O₂ and decreased CO₂ production. This study has shown that adding comprehensive yoga-based exercises to the daily life especially in middle age improves the lung function.