. Varun Malhotra; . Ragini Srivastava; . Poovarasan Parasuraman; . Danish Javed; . Santosh Wakode; . Avinash Thakare; . Ananyan Sampath; . Ankita Kumari
Volume 12, Issue 7 , August 2022, , Pages 1-9
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The ancient Indian science of Yoga makes use of voluntary regulation of breathingto make respiration rhythmic and calm the mind. This practice is called pranayama. Nadisuddhipranayama ...
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BACKGROUND: The ancient Indian science of Yoga makes use of voluntary regulation of breathingto make respiration rhythmic and calm the mind. This practice is called pranayama. Nadisuddhipranayama means “purification of subtle energy paths,” inhalation and exhalation are throughalternative nostrils for successive respiratory cycles. Surya Anuloma‑Viloma pranayama means “heatgenerating breathing particle” when the respiratory cycle of inhalation and exhalation is completedthrough the right nostril exclusively. When completed through the left nostril alone, the practice iscalled “Chandra Anuloma‑Viloma pranayama,” which means a heat‑dissipating or cooling liberatingpractice. We compared the effect of right nostril breathing (RNA) and left nostril breathing (LNB)pranayama on heart rate variability.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted at the Department of Physiology at an instituteof national importance, after obtaining necessary ethical approvals from the Institutional Ethics Committee.Twenty healthy kriya yogi volunteers (mean age: 44 years), who are regular practitioners for the last10–20 years, were inducted into the study. RNB pranayama starts with closing the right nostril with thethumb of the left hand followed by exhalation through the right nostril and inhaling slowly through thesame nostril. This forms one round of RNB pranayama. In contrast, inhalation through the left nostril andexhalation through the right nostril exclusively is called chandrabhedana pranayama (chandrabhedanameans moon‑piercing breath in Sanskrit) with a similar variation called Chandra Anuloma‑Vilomapranayama in which inhalation, as well as exhalation, is performed through the left nostril exclusively. Therecording of electrocardiogram (ECG) for heart rate variability (HRV) analysis was taken by heart ratevariability (Dinamika HRV‑Advanced Heart Rate Variability Test System, Moscow, Russia). The restingand during readings of heart rate variability parameters were compared and post hoc analysis was doneusing Bonferroni and Holm multiple comparisons for repeated measures.RESULTS: Time domain parameters: Standard deviation of normal to normal RR intervals (SDNN)and root mean square of successive NN interval differences (RMSSD) were increased at a high levelof statistical significance during both pranayama maneuvres. Frequency domain parameters: LF, LF/HF ratio increased significantly. Parasympathetic activity is represented by LF when the respirationrate is lower than 7 breaths per min or during taking a deep breath. Thus, when the subject is in astate of relaxation with slow and even breathing in both RNB—right nostril and Chandra—LNB, theLF values can be very high, indicating an increase in parasympathetic activity rather than an increasein sympathetic regulation.CONCLUSION: Our study is an acute study, where changes in HRV were seen after 5 min of RNBand LNB. However, statistically, there is not much difference in the immediate effects of the twopranayamas on heart rate variability in regular yoga practitioners.