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Pranayama and its therapeutic potential
Abstract
Set within the framework and against the background authority and context of the Yoga canon - ancient and modern - this is an exposition of the seminal significance of prana (vital life force), its conscious control and expansion within the energy sheath (pranayama kosha) for the benefit of the human condition. The classical kumbhakas (pranayamas), their health benefits; physical, mental and emotional upon the various body systems are elucidated enabling a clear understanding of the application of these practices across the age range. Gender specific advice and guidance for the alleviation of stress and its related issues is given. Time honoured views on Swara Yoga are touched upon. pranayama’s spiritual dimension completes the health benefits for the sadhak.
... Bhastrika, a type of pranayama breathing [3], is a term which has been derived from the "bellow" which is used by the blacksmith to keep his coal furnace alive [4], in which the breath is actively blasted in and out in multiple 'whooshes' with forced abdominal contractions [5]. Bhastrika has been shown to produce central neuronal activation [6], to improve the speed of reaction and to produce a balance between the sympathetic and the parasympathetic aspects of the autonomic nervous system [7]. Mukh Bhastrika's central activating role and its effects on the sensory-motor association can be assessed by using sensitive and reproducible tests, one such test being the Reaction Time (RT). ...
Background: Pranayama has a very important role in the yogic system of exercises and it has been said to be much moreimportant than yogasanas for keeping sound health. The practice of Mukh Bhastrika, a type of pranayama, is known to improve human performance. The studies which have been conducted till date were on the effect of the short term practice of Mukh Bhastrika, other types of pranayamas and yoga in general. The Reaction Time (RT) is a means of determining the sensory motor association and the performance.Aim: The aim of the present study was to know whether practicing Mukh Bhastrika alone had any beneficial effect on the CNS arousal, the sensory-motor association and its performance. Materials and Methods: This interventional study was done in 50 young, male volunteers in whom the auditory and the visual reaction times were recorded before and after 12 weeks of Mukh Bhastrika training. Results: There was a decrease in both the auditory and the visual reaction times. This indicated an improvement in the sensorymotor performance and the enhanced processing ability of the central nervous system. Conclusion: Hence, the regular practice of Mukh Bhastrika should be encouraged for better performance in situations which require faster reactivity such as sports, race driving, specialized surgery, machine operation, trainable mentally retarded children, etc.
This paper reviews lateralized ultradian rhythms in the nervous system and their unique place in evolutionary development. The rhythmic lateralization of neural activity in paired internal structures and the two sides of the central and autonomic nervous system is discussed as a new view for the temporal and spatial organization of higher vertebrates. These lateralized neural rhythms are integral to the hypothesis of the basic rest-activity cycle. Rhythms of alternating cerebral hemispheric dominance are postulated to be coupled to oscillations of the ergotrophic and trophotrophic states. The nasal cycle is coupled to this cerebral rhythm. This lateralized central and autonomic rhythm is discussed in relationship to ultradian rhythms of neuroendocrine activity, REM and NREM sleep, lateralized rhythms of plasma catecholamines, and other lateralized neural events. The relationship of this phenomenon to stress and adaptation is postulated. The effects of unilateral forced nostril breathing is reviewed as a method to alter cerebral activity, cognition, and other autonomic dependent phenomena.
We have previously demonstrated by the integration of EEG amplitudes, that an ultradian rhythm of alternating cerebral dominance exists in humans. This rhythm is tightly coupled with the nasal cycle, since its lateralization correlates with shifts in airflow through the left and right nostrils, where relatively greater integrated amplitudes in one hemisphere correspond to predominant airflow in the contralateral nostril. The nasal cycle is known to be regulated by the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. This dynamic lateralization of alternating activity in the autonomic nervous system exists in other peripheral structures and is also likely to be the mode of regulation of the cortical rhythm. This paper shows that forced nostril breathing in one nostril produces a relative increase in the EEG amplitude in the contralateral hemisphere. This phenomena was demonstrated in 5 out of 5 untrained subjects. These results suggest the possibility of a non-invasive approach in the treatment of states of psychopathology where lateralized cerebral dysfunction have been shown to occur.
The effect of pranayama a controlled breathing practice, on exercise tests was studied in athletes in two phases; sub-maximal and maximal exercise tests. At the end of phase I (one year) both the groups (control and experimental) achieved significantly higher work rate and reduction in oxygen consumption per unit work. There was a significant reduction in blood lactate and an increase in P/L ratio in the experimental group, at rest. At the end of phase II (two years), the oxygen consumption per unit work was found to be significantly reduced and the work rate significantly increased in the experimental group. Blood lactate decreased significantly at rest in the experimental group only. Pyruvate and pyruvate-lactate ratio increased significantly in both the groups after exercise and at rest in the experimental group. The results in both phases showed that the subjects who practised pranayama could achieve higher work rates with reduced oxygen consumption per unit work and without increase in blood lactate levels. The blood lactate levels were significantly low at rest.
Thirty three normal male and forty two normal female subjects, of average age of 18.5 years, underwent six weeks course in 'Pranayam' and their ventilatory lung functions were studied before and after this practice. They had improved ventilatory functions in the form of lowered respiratory rate (RR), and increases in the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at the end of 1st second (FEV1%), maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR-lit/sec), and prolongation of breath holding time.
To determine whether the yogic Ujjayi pranayamic type of breathing that involves sensory awareness and consciously controlled, extremely slow-rate breathing including at least a period of end-inspiration breath holding in each respiratory cycle would alter oxygen consumption or not, ten males with long standing experience in pranayama, and volunteering to participate in the laboratory study were assessed. These subjects aged 28-59 yr, had normal health appropriate to their age. Since kumbhak (timed breath holding) is considered as an important phase of the respiratory cycle in the pranayama, they were categorised into two groups of five each, one group practising the short kumbhak varieties of pranayama, and the other the long kumbhak varieties of pranayama. The duration of kumbhak phase was on an average 22.2 percent of the respiratory cycle in the short kumbhak group, and 50.4 per cent in the long kumbhak group. The oxygen consumption was measured in test sessions using the closed circuit method of breathing oxygen through the Benedict-Roth spirometer. Each subject was tested in several repeat sessions. Values of oxygen consumption of the period of pranayamic breathing, and of post-pranayamic breathing period, were compared to control value of oxygen consumption of the prepranayamic breathing period of each test session. The results revealed that the short kumbhak pranayamic breathing caused a statistically significant increase (52%) in the oxygen consumption (and metabolic rate) compared to the pre-pranayamic base-line period of breathing. In contrast to the above, the long kumbhak pranayamic breathing caused a statistically significant lowering (19% of the oxygen consumption (and metabolic rate).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Relative nostril efficiency (nasal cycle) is related to hemispheric EEG differences and performance on cognitive tasks. We investigated how unilateral forced nostril breathing influences spatial and verbal performance. Right-handed males and females performed both tasks under either left-nostril, right-nostril, or free-breathing conditions. Unilateral breathing affects performance differently in males and females. It influences male performance ipsilaterally on both tasks: Their spatial performance is better during right-nostril breathing, and their verbal performance is better during left-nostril breathing. Unilateral breathing influences female performance contralaterally, but only on the spatial task: Their spatial performance is better during left-nostril breathing. These differences within and between sexes may exist because unilateral nostril breathing differentially activates the two hemispheres and thereby facilitates performance, or because attempts of the brain to control the nasal cycle unilaterally interfere with performance.