Effect of yogic relaxing asans and pranayams on heart Rate variability and perceived stress in healthy Young volunteers - A comparative study

Abstract

The present study offers evidence of the cardiovascular relaxation and harmonisation of the cardiac autonomic tone through aspects of yoga such as asan and pranayam. A total of 109 healthy volunteers aged 20-25 years were randomly divided into asan, pranayam and wait-listed group. Yoga training was given 25 min/day for 6 days/week for 6 months, in which Pranayam group received relaxing pranayam, asan group received relaxing asans and third group was wait list control group. Pre and post HRV results of each group were statistically compared by paired ‘t’ test and between the group was compared by One-way ANOVA. Pre-post analysis revealed that High frequency (HF) significantly increased (p<0.05) and Low frequency component (LF), LF/HF ratio, PSS significantly decreased (p<0.05) in asan and pranayam group but no significant difference was found in control group (p>0.05). Inter group comparison analysis by ANOVA revealed that LF, LF/HF ratio, PSS significantly decreased and HF significantly increased in asan and pranayam group as compared to controls. There was no significant difference between asan and pranayam groups.