Abstract

Background: The ancient practice of breath is called pranayama meaning both “control of energy” and “expansion of energy.” Sudarshan Kriya Yoga is a comprehensive breathing technique, which harmonize the body, mind, and emotions.
Objective: To assess the effects of long-term practice of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) on cardiorespiratory physiology.
Materials and Methods: It was carried out on 100 healthy volunteers in the age group of 20–40 years. SKY group con- sisted of 50 individuals who were practicing SKY since more than 1 year and control group consisted of 50 individuals who are not following any type of yoga. Both groups were compared for cardiovascular and respiratory parameters using unpaired t-test. Result: It was found that statically significant (p-value <0.05) lower values of cardiovascular parameters (pulse rate, systolic, and diastolic BP) and higher values of respiratory parameters (FVC, FEV1, PEFR, breath holding time) in SKY group as compared to control group. Conclusion: Hence, on conclusion SKY has beneficial effects on cardiorespiratory physiology so it can be used as adjuvant therapy for management of lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and psychiatric disorders.