A comprehensive review on effect of yogic practices (Pranayama) on stress and anxiety

Abstract

Yoga is a system of practices with ancestral roots in India. It is defined as Chitta Vritti Nirodha the cessation of the whirlwinds of the mind - which is better understood in contemporary language as a tool to calm the mind. Breathing exercise in various conditions has been reported to improve quality of life, reduce mental health problems such as stress, anxiety & depression. Practice of Bhr. P for 5-10 min continuously induce subjective feelings of mind refreshment and blissfulness and sometimes the subjects are believed to go to even meditative state. The lockdown and social distancing has led to challenges like feeling of stress, anxiety, fear, loneliness at times, depression, irritability, insomnia, confusion, anger, frustration, and boredom. Bhr.P intervention is an effective technique to manage the depression, anxiety and stress, during COVID-19 home isolation. The findings further support that Bhr.P intervention helped to improve the quality of sleep and general wellbeing during the treatment period. Stress may aggravate the underlying autoimmunity, whereas yoga helps in reducing sympathetic arousa land the activity of the hypothalamus pituitary and renal axis, which in turn reduces stress and anxiety levels.