Immediate Effect of Slow Bhastrika Pranayama on Blood Glucose, Heart Rate and Blood Pressure

Abstract

The present study aimed at comparing the immediate effect of slow Bhastriaka Pranayama practice on blood glucose level, heart rate and blood pressure. The study was conducted on female yogic practitioners from LNIPE, Gwalior (N=10, mean and SD of age respectively 20±2 as the scores were normally distributed). The data were collected on the subjects on selected physiological variables before and after the immediate practice of Bhastrika Pranayama. The blood glucose level, heart rate and blood pressure were measured by glucometer, heart rate monitor and sphygmomanometer during mentioned time. The tests were administered before pranayama and immediately after Bhastrika Pranayama practice at early morning in empty stomach. Paired t-test was employed as statistical analysis to compare the mean at 5% level of significance. Finally, significant difference was shown in blood glucose level from 85.00± 3 to 79.90±4.50 and heart rate was significantly decreased from 67.8±6.67 to 65±6.33. No significant difference was found in systolic blood pressure (from111±5.15 to 114±4.20) during bhastrika pranayama where diastolic blood pressure was significantly decreased after bhastrika pranayama (from 77±7.83 to 68±7.93). Thus, it can be concluded that slow Bhastrika pranayama could reduce the blood glucose level, heart rate and blood pressure by activating the parasympathetic nervous system which enhance the healthy cardiovascular functioning of the body control high blood glucose by stimulating the insulin secretion from pancreas.

Full text

Immediate Effect of Slow Bhastrika Pranayama on Blood
Glucose, Heart Rate and Blood Pressure
Payel Das1, Vivek, Pandey.2
1 Ph.D Scholar, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, India.
2 Professor, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, India.
Abstract
The present study aimed at comparing the immediate effect of slow Bhastriaka Pranayama practice on blood
glucose level, heart rate and blood pressure. The study was conducted on female yogic practitioners from
LNIPE, Gwalior (N=10, mean and SD of age respectively 20±2 as the scores were normally distributed). The
data were collected on the subjects on selected physiological variables before and after the immediate practice
of Bhastrika Pranayama. The blood glucose level, heart rate and blood pressure were measured by glucometer,
heart rate monitor and sphygmomanometer during mentioned time. The tests were administered before
pranayama and immediately after Bhastrika Pranayama practice at early morning in empty stomach. Paired t-
test was employed as statistical analysis to compare the mean at 5% level of significance. Finally, significant
difference was shown in blood glucose level from 85.00± 3 to 79.90±4.50 and heart rate was significantly
decreased from 67.8±6.67 to 65±6.33. No significant difference was found in systolic blood pressure
(from111±5.15 to 114±4.20) during bhastrika pranayama where diastolic blood pressure was significantly
decreased after bhastrika pranayama (from 77±7.83 to 68±7.93). Thus, it can be concluded that slow Bhastrika
pranayama could reduce the blood glucose level, heart rate and blood pressure by activating the
parasympathetic nervous system which enhance the healthy cardiovascular functioning of the body control high
blood glucose by stimulating the insulin secretion from pancreas.
Key words: Bhastrika Pranayama, blood glucose level, blood pressure and heart rate.
Introduction
Now a day’s stress is a common problem that affects almost all of us at some point in
our lives and increasing day by day. Prolonged psychological stress may negatively impact
health such as cognitive impairment with aging, depressive illness, and expression of disease
through accelerating the sympathetic nervous activity which results on increased heart rate,
blood pressure and hormonal activity. It is observed that stress increases both short-term and
long-term blood glucose levels and if it increases beyond the normal limits, then it can cause
persistent high blood glucose levels resulting into diabetes mellitus (Suman Rai et. al., 2015).
Many ways can be adopted (e.g., regular physical exercise, change of lifestyle, change of
food habit, etc.) to cope up with stress. Earlier it has been reported that yoga and slow
pranayamic breathing are beneficial for the treatment of cardiopulmonary diseases,
autonomic nervous system imbalances, and psychological or stress-related disorders as one of
the best relaxation techniques (Brown R.P, 2005).
Prana means breath and ayama is lengthening or widening through control. The
agency of the breath was used to access the pranic field, to attain balance in the body by
getting control over autonomic nervous system and control of the mind (Saraswati N., 2009).

Different types of pranayama techniques are adopted resulting different physiologic
responses. Kapalbhati paranyama was found to cause autonomic activation results in
increased blood pressure and heart rate whereas nadishodhana pranayama act as
parasympathetic activation (Raghuraj P. et .al., 1998).
In bhastrika pranayama, inhalation and exhalation are equal and are the result of
systematic and equal lung movement (Hathayaoga pradipika, 2006). Most of the studies have
shown the effect of different regular pranayama practices for a period a time (eg. 1 month, 2
month, 3 month). In this present study the immediate effect of slow bhastrika pranayama has
been examined on heart rate variability, blood pressure and blood glucose level and
hypothesized that there would be significant difference between before and after the bhastrika
pranayama practice of 30 minutes.
Methods and Materials
Subjects –Healthy young 10 yogic practitioners were taken aged ranged from 19-24 for the
purpose of the study who was familiar with the Bhastrika Pranayama practices.
Design of the study
Recording were made on separately before and after bhastrika pranayama practice of 30
minutes on blood pressure, blood glucose and heart rate.
Training protocol
The subjects were practice the bhastrika pranayama for 30 minutes. The subjects were
instructed to inhale from both the nostril slowly up to the maximum of 2 seconds and exhale
slowly for same time. The pace of the inhalation and exhalation should be same from the
abdomen movement. The subjects were directed to sit in firm soft position with back straight
and relaxed shoulder for the whole duration of the practice. The subjects were performed
bhastrika pranayama first for 5 sets of 50 strokes with 10 seconds rest between each set.
Test administration
The subjects were asked to sit in comfortable position at morning after overnight sleep and
blood pressure, heart rate and fasting blood glucose level were tested. After those 30 minutes
bhastrika pranayama was performed by the subjects under the guidance of researcher and
again blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose level were tested immediately by using
sphygmomanometer, heart rate monitor and glucometer respectively.
Statistical test- paired t- test were employed for analysis of the results of selected
physiological parameters at 5% level of significance.
Results
Paired t-test was employed to analyze the result as the same subjects were tested
before and after the Bhastrika Pranayama. Table no. 1 shown that significant difference were

found (p >0.05) in blood glucose level. The mean blood glucose level was decreased
significantly after 30 minutes of Bhastrika Pranamaya from 85ml/dl to 79ml/dl and the mean
heart rate was also decreased significantly (p>0.05) during immediate practice of 30 minutes
from 67beat/min to 63 beat/min at 0.05 shown in table no.2. The diastolic blood pressure was
decreased significantly after the pranayama from 77mmHg to 68 mmHg at 0.05 where
systolic Blood pressure of the participants shown no significant difference (P<0.05) after
bhastrika pranayama 111.80 mmHg to 114.90 mmHg shown in table 4 and 3 resectively.
Mean and standard deviation for the different variables are given below: blood
glucose level, heart rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure are shown in
table 1, and 2, 3 and 4 respectively.
Paired Differences t df Sig. (2-tailed)
Mean Std.
Deviation
Std. Error
Mean
Pair 1
blood glucose before
bhastrika - blood
glucose after bhastrika
5.10000 5.27994 1.66966 3.055 9 .014
Table no 1. Mean Differences of Blood Glucose before and after bhastrika pranayama
*The mean difference is significant (p<0.05) at 0.05
Blood Glucose before bhastrika
76
78
80
82
84
86
mean
mean
Figure 1. Mean Score of Blood Glucose Level before and after pranayama
Table no 2. Mean Differences of heart rate before and after the bhastrika pranayama

Paired Differences t df Sig. (2-
tailed)
Mean Std.
Deviation
Std. Error
Mean
Pair 1
heart rate before
bhastrika - heart rate
after bhastrika
4.00000 3.82971 1.21106 3.303 9 .009*
*The mean difference is significant (p<0.05) at the 0.05.
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
mean
mean
Figure 2. Mean Score of Heart Rate before and after pranayama
Table no 3. Mean Differences of Systolic Blood Pressure Before and After Bhastrika
Pranayama
Paired Differences t df Sig. (2-tailed)
Mean Std.
Deviation
Std. Error
Mean
Pair 1
BLOOD PRESSURE
BEFORE PRANAYAMA -
BP AFTER
PRANAYAMA
-3.10 6.29 1.99 -1.5 9 .154
*The mean difference is not significant (p>0.05) at the 0.05.

systolic blood pressure before bhastrika
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
mean
mean
Figure 3. Mean Score of Systolic Blood Pressure before and after pranayama
Table no 4. Mean Differences of Diastolic Blood Pressure Before and After Bhastrika
Pranayama
Paired Differences t df Sig. (2-
tailed)
Mean Std.
Deviation
Std. Error
Mean
Pair
1
Daistolic blood
pressure before
bhastrika - diastolic
blood pressure after
blood pressure
9.50 8.03 2.53 3.74 9 .005*
*The mean difference is significant (p<0.05) at the 0.05.

Diastolic blood pressure before bhastrika
62
64
66
68
70
72
74
76
78
mean
mean
Figure 4. Mean Score of Diastolic Blood Pressure before and after pranayama
Discussion/ findings
Frequency and duration of inhibitory neural impulses during inspiration is increased
during pranayama as lung tissues are being stretched, producing inhibitory signals by action
of slowly adapting stretch receptors (Jerath, R., 2006) and hyper polarization current. Both
inhibitory impulses and hyper polarization current are known as synchronized neural
elements which create modulation of the nervous system such as sympathetic vascular
resistance and decreased metabolic activity which is the indication of the parasympathetic
state (Pramanik, T., 2008). In such way, during slow bhastrika pranayamic breathing
parasympathetic response is induced due to synchronization within the hypothalamus and the
brainstem which activates increased vagal activity (Dhungel, K.U., 2008) resulting in small
reduction in the heart rate (Raghuraj, P., 1998) which was significantly decreased after
immediate practice of bhastrika pranayama. Both through right and left nostril breathing has
been shown an increased base-line oxygen consumption which is the indication of
sympathetic discharge of the adrenal medulla (Telles, S., 1994).
Earlier studies shown that both systolic and diastolic blood pressures are significantly
decreased due to decreased in peripheral resistance ((Pramanik, T., 2008). Sympathetic tone
in the skeletal muscle blood vessels has been withdrawal due to pulmonary stretch receptors
leading to widespread of vasodilatation which causing decreased in peripheral resistance
(Daly, M. et. al, 1968). In this present study diastolic blood pressure also decreased
significantly but no significant difference is found in systolic blood pressure.
It has been found that if the carbon dioxide level in the blood decreases through
increased elimination of carbon dioxide, the normal respiratory rate becomes slower
(Muktibudhananda, S., 2011). There is an increased release of carbon dioxide causing

subsequently relaxed centre and hyperventilation does not occur due to the equal pace of
inhalation and exhalation in bhastrika pranayama.
It is claimed that during slow bhastrika pranayama practice metabolism and
utilization of glucose is increased in peripheral tissues, liver and adipose tissue through
enzymatic process taking place causing rejuvenation or regeneration of cells and pancreas
(Malhotra V, 2004). During the increased strokes practice of slow bhastrika
pranayama( inhalation and exhalation) pancreas get messages due to the frequent movement
of abdomen (inward and upward) enhancing the insulin secretion which maintain the blood
glucose level through glucose utilization and shown significant mean difference (table no.2)
before and after bhastrika pranayama. so it could be concluded that this present study shown
there is immediate effect of bhastriaka pranayama on blood glucose level and heart rate and
diastolic blood pressure by activating the parasympathetic nervous system which enhance the
healthy cardiovascular functioning of the body control high blood glucose by stimulating the
insulin secretion from pancreas.
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