Fast vs. Slow Pranayama for Breathing, Heart, Balance, and Well-Being in Students

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of slow and rapid pranayama techniques on respiratory, cardiovascular, balance, and psychosocial parameters in healthy adults aged 18-35 years.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Do slow and rapid pranayama techniques produce different improvements in lung volumes and peak cough flow?

Does slow pranayama lead to greater improvements in oxygen saturation and cardiovascular parameters, while rapid pranayama provides greater gains in balance and respiratory flow values?

Researchers will compare a slow pranayama group (n = 39) and a rapid pranayama group (n = 39) to determine how breathing speed influences physiological and psychosocial outcomes.

Participants will:

Be randomly assigned to one of two groups (slow or rapid pranayama).

Practice their assigned pranayama techniques for 25-30 minutes, 4 days per week for 12 weeks (one supervised, three home-based sessions).

Undergo pre- and post-intervention assessments including spirometry (FVC, FEV₁, FEF25%-75%, PEF), oxygen saturation, peak cough flow, blood pressure, heart rate, balance tests (single-leg stance, Y-Balance Test), and validated questionnaires for perceived stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep quality.

This study aims to clarify how controlled breathing speed influences respiratory efficiency, cardiovascular regulation, postural stability, and mental well-being in young adults, contributing to evidence-based recommendations for integrating pranayama into stress-management and preventive rehabilitation programs.

Conditions

• No Condition

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Slow Pranayama

Participants will practice pranayama in a quiet room, comfortably seated (sukhasana), maintained at a comfortable temperature (24 ± 2°C). Sessions typically take place as follows: Participants in the Slow Pranayama Group will practice the Anuloma Viloma, Savitri, and Ujjayi breathing techniques. Slow pranayama breathing will be practiced for two minutes, with one-minute rests between each breathing technique, for a total of three cycles. Each cycle will last approximately nine minutes. Participants in both groups will rest in savasana for 10 minutes at the end of the session. No drugs or devices are used. The intervention is a controlled breathing exercise technique.

BEHAVIORAL

Fast Pranayama

Participants will practice pranayama in a quiet room, comfortably seated (sukhasana), maintained at a comfortable temperature (24 ± 2°C). Sessions will typically be conducted as follows: Participants in the Fast Pranayama Group will practice Kapalabhati, Bhastrika, and Agnisar breathing. Each breathing technique will be practiced for one minute, followed by a one-minute rest. This will be practiced for a total of four cycles. Each cycle will last approximately six minutes. No drugs or devices are used. The intervention is a controlled breathing exercise technique.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istanbul Medipol University Hospital

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

35 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-08-16

Primary Completion

2025-10-21

Completion

2026-01-05

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations