The Role of Yoga Practices in Improving Respiratory Health: A Review
Keywords:
Yoga, Pranayama, Pulmonary Function, Respiratory Health, Asanas, Lung Capacity, COPD, AsthmaAbstract
Yoga, an ancient Indian practice, is increasingly recognized as a holistic lifestyle that integrates physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Among its various components, Pranayama (breath regulation) and Asanas (postures) have shown significant influence on the respiratory system. Controlled breathing techniques improve lung capacity, strengthen respiratory muscles, regulate autonomic balance and enhance overall pulmonary function. Several clinical and experimental studies confirm yoga’s effectiveness in managing conditions such as asthma, COPD and altitude-induced hypoxia, while also improving lung elasticity and quality of life indices in healthy individuals. This paper reviews existing literature on the relationship between yoga practices and respiratory health, focusing on pulmonary function parameters (FVC, FEV1, PEFR) and mechanisms of improvement through pranayama and asanas. The findings highlight yoga as a valuable adjunct to conventional therapies in respiratory disorders and a preventive measure for maintaining pulmonary health.
References
• Agnihotri, S., Kant, S., Kumar, A., Mishra, A., & Mishra, S. (2016). Effect of yoga on pulmonary function tests in patients with bronchial asthma.
• Bernardi, L., et al. (2001). Slow breathing reduces chemoreflex response and improves oxygenation.
• Beutler, A., Beltrami, F. G., Boutellier, U., & Spengler, C. M. (2016). Effects of yoga breathing on autonomic regulation.
• Collins, C. (1998). Yoga: Intuition, preventive medicine and treatment. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing.
• D′Souza, C., & Avadhany, S. T. (2014). Effects of slow and fast pranayama on respiratory muscle strength.
• Garfinkel, M., & Schumacher, H. R. (2000). Yoga therapy for health.
• Jain, S. C., et al. (1991). Effect of yoga training on exercise capacity and pulmonary functions.
• Madanmohan, et al. (2004). Yoga breathing on respiratory pressures and endurance.
• Manocha, R., Marks, G. B., Kenchington, P., Peters, D., & Salome, C. M. (2002). Sahaja yoga in asthma management.
Downloads
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Engineering, Science and Humanities
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
