Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis on yogic methods

What is it about?

We have performed a comprehensive analysis on the HRV to evaluate the influence of yogic methods namely "paced breathing" and "focused attention". The results are compared against those on subjects performing yogic methods and on control subjects with normal breathing. It has been found that breathing rate less than 12 cycles per minute (cpm) plays a significant role in eliciting physiologically significant variations (as one could harness) by practicing yogic methods. In addition, we have found the appreciable alignment in breathing oscillations i.e, respiratory sinus arrhytmia (RSA) to be common among yogic group, attention group and paced breathing group as opposed to control subjects under normal breathing.

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Why is it important?

Very few studies have been devoted to exclusively investigate the nature of yogic methods and their level of influence on cardiovascular system. By quantifying the commonality and differences existing in different study groups, this comprehensive analysis highlights the importance of internal mechanisms present in yogic methods to reap the physiological benefits. Particularly, HR patterns of the focused attention group (for whom no instruction was given regarding breathing) their HR patterns were found to be aligned quite similar to those of paced breathing and yogic groups. Hence, attention and breathing could be co-existing strategies which train subjects in yogic methods.

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