Study of immediate neurological and autonomic changes during kapalbhati pranayama in yoga practitioners

Background: Kapalbhati is a fast pace respiratory exercise or pranayam, which is supposed to be practiced by yogis to clean their brain. Pranayamas are well known to improve heart rate variability (HRV) ultimately leading to better autonomic functions. Other studies have observed the immediate effec...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Varun Malhotra, Danish Javed, Santosh Wakode, Rajay Bharshankar, Neha Soni, Patrick K Porter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2022-01-01
Series:Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2022;volume=11;issue=2;spage=720;epage=727;aulast=Malhotra
_version_ 1818907760998219776
author Varun Malhotra
Danish Javed
Santosh Wakode
Rajay Bharshankar
Neha Soni
Patrick K Porter
author_facet Varun Malhotra
Danish Javed
Santosh Wakode
Rajay Bharshankar
Neha Soni
Patrick K Porter
author_sort Varun Malhotra
collection DOAJ
description Background: Kapalbhati is a fast pace respiratory exercise or pranayam, which is supposed to be practiced by yogis to clean their brain. Pranayamas are well known to improve heart rate variability (HRV) ultimately leading to better autonomic functions. Other studies have observed the immediate effect of kapalbhati on various neurological (brain and spine) and autonomic functions, but their results are varied and inconclusive. Objective: The aim of this study is to find out the changes in HRV and brain waves during and after practice of kapalbhati as compared with the baseline values of different parameters. Methods: Various parameters were measured at baseline, during and after kapalbhati pranayam with the help of Dinamika HRV-Advanced HRV Test System, Moscow, Russia. Statistical analysis was accomplished employing repeated measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni post-hoc analysis and Holm's multiple comparisons using the Version 28.0.0.0 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows (190) SPSS Inc., Chicago. Results: We found that during and after kapalbhati, changes in HRV were significant in time and frequency domain showing parasympathetic withdrawal and insignificant changes in brain waves as compared with reference point values. Conclusion: Kapalbhati is initially energizing, cleansing, and heating. There occurs parasympathetic withdrawal and sympathetic activation during pranayama. There is an increase gamma wave activation post pranayama showing control of the default mode network.
first_indexed 2024-12-19T22:00:15Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2403b1050ce04efb9c70dc0d7815fd4a
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2249-4863
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-19T22:00:15Z
publishDate 2022-01-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
spelling doaj.art-2403b1050ce04efb9c70dc0d7815fd4a2022-12-21T20:04:09ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family Medicine and Primary Care2249-48632022-01-0111272072710.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1662_21Study of immediate neurological and autonomic changes during kapalbhati pranayama in yoga practitionersVarun MalhotraDanish JavedSantosh WakodeRajay BharshankarNeha SoniPatrick K PorterBackground: Kapalbhati is a fast pace respiratory exercise or pranayam, which is supposed to be practiced by yogis to clean their brain. Pranayamas are well known to improve heart rate variability (HRV) ultimately leading to better autonomic functions. Other studies have observed the immediate effect of kapalbhati on various neurological (brain and spine) and autonomic functions, but their results are varied and inconclusive. Objective: The aim of this study is to find out the changes in HRV and brain waves during and after practice of kapalbhati as compared with the baseline values of different parameters. Methods: Various parameters were measured at baseline, during and after kapalbhati pranayam with the help of Dinamika HRV-Advanced HRV Test System, Moscow, Russia. Statistical analysis was accomplished employing repeated measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni post-hoc analysis and Holm's multiple comparisons using the Version 28.0.0.0 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows (190) SPSS Inc., Chicago. Results: We found that during and after kapalbhati, changes in HRV were significant in time and frequency domain showing parasympathetic withdrawal and insignificant changes in brain waves as compared with reference point values. Conclusion: Kapalbhati is initially energizing, cleansing, and heating. There occurs parasympathetic withdrawal and sympathetic activation during pranayama. There is an increase gamma wave activation post pranayama showing control of the default mode network.http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2022;volume=11;issue=2;spage=720;epage=727;aulast=Malhotraautonomic nervous systembrain spectrum of waveseeghrvkapalbhati
spellingShingle Varun Malhotra
Danish Javed
Santosh Wakode
Rajay Bharshankar
Neha Soni
Patrick K Porter
Study of immediate neurological and autonomic changes during kapalbhati pranayama in yoga practitioners
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
autonomic nervous system
brain spectrum of waves
eeg
hrv
kapalbhati
title Study of immediate neurological and autonomic changes during kapalbhati pranayama in yoga practitioners
title_full Study of immediate neurological and autonomic changes during kapalbhati pranayama in yoga practitioners
title_fullStr Study of immediate neurological and autonomic changes during kapalbhati pranayama in yoga practitioners
title_full_unstemmed Study of immediate neurological and autonomic changes during kapalbhati pranayama in yoga practitioners
title_short Study of immediate neurological and autonomic changes during kapalbhati pranayama in yoga practitioners
title_sort study of immediate neurological and autonomic changes during kapalbhati pranayama in yoga practitioners
topic autonomic nervous system
brain spectrum of waves
eeg
hrv
kapalbhati
url http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2022;volume=11;issue=2;spage=720;epage=727;aulast=Malhotra
work_keys_str_mv AT varunmalhotra studyofimmediateneurologicalandautonomicchangesduringkapalbhatipranayamainyogapractitioners
AT danishjaved studyofimmediateneurologicalandautonomicchangesduringkapalbhatipranayamainyogapractitioners
AT santoshwakode studyofimmediateneurologicalandautonomicchangesduringkapalbhatipranayamainyogapractitioners
AT rajaybharshankar studyofimmediateneurologicalandautonomicchangesduringkapalbhatipranayamainyogapractitioners
AT nehasoni studyofimmediateneurologicalandautonomicchangesduringkapalbhatipranayamainyogapractitioners
AT patrickkporter studyofimmediateneurologicalandautonomicchangesduringkapalbhatipranayamainyogapractitioners