Acta Biomedica Scientia

THE IMPACT OF PRANAYAMA ON PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AMONG ADULTS IN SELECTED AREAS OF HUTTI, RAICHUR DISTRICT, KARNATAKA

Annapoorna S, Dr. Gajanand R Wale

gajanandrwale@gmail.com

Pranayama, Physiological Parameters, adults

Stress is defined as a mental or emotional condition of strain or tension brought on by difficult or demanding situations. When an organism perceives a threat to its homeostasis, it responds with a variety of physiological adaptations that include endocrine, autonomic, and behavioral elements. Perceived stress has been proven in studies to have a deleterious impact on cardiovascular function by increasing blood pressure (BP) and decreasing cardiovascular responsiveness in participants. Stress has a negative impact on sleep quality. The present study was aimed to see how short-term pranayama practice affects stress perception, sleep quality, heart rate, and blood pressure. This was an interventional study in which participants were recruited from a selected area of Hutti with prior permission of the respective Office and consent from the selected adults between the age group of 30-40 years. Practicing pranayama for 20 days reduced stress, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and increased sleep quality significantly (p0.05). The variations in heart rate were negligible (p=0.9). We also discovered that 10 (25.5%) of participants had a low stress perception, 27 (65.5%) had a moderate stress perception, and 2 (5%) had a high stress perception before starting the course. However, after 20 days of pranayama practice, 30 (75%) of subjects perceived low stress, 7.5(18.75%) moderate stress, and 1.5 (3.75%) high stress, as measured by PSS ratings. Our findings show that practicing pranayama reduced stress levels as judged by the participants, enhanced sleep quality, and decreased both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. These improvements were observed after practicing Pranayama alone, without the addition of other yogic practices, and after only a short period of time