Fast vs. Slow Pranayama for Breathing, Heart, Balance, and Well-Being in Students

NCT ID: NCT07320742

Last Updated: 2026-01-06

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 79 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-08-16
• Study Completion Date: 2026-01-05

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of slow and rapid pranayama techniques on respiratory, cardiovascular, balance, and psychosocial parameters in healthy adults aged 18-35 years.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Do slow and rapid pranayama techniques produce different improvements in lung volumes and peak cough flow?

Does slow pranayama lead to greater improvements in oxygen saturation and cardiovascular parameters, while rapid pranayama provides greater gains in balance and respiratory flow values?

Researchers will compare a slow pranayama group (n = 39) and a rapid pranayama group (n = 39) to determine how breathing speed influences physiological and psychosocial outcomes.

Participants will:

Be randomly assigned to one of two groups (slow or rapid pranayama).

Practice their assigned pranayama techniques for 25-30 minutes, 4 days per week for 12 weeks (one supervised, three home-based sessions).

Undergo pre- and post-intervention assessments including spirometry (FVC, FEV₁, FEF25%-75%, PEF), oxygen saturation, peak cough flow, blood pressure, heart rate, balance tests (single-leg stance, Y-Balance Test), and validated questionnaires for perceived stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep quality.

This study aims to clarify how controlled breathing speed influences respiratory efficiency, cardiovascular regulation, postural stability, and mental well-being in young adults, contributing to evidence-based recommendations for integrating pranayama into stress-management and preventive rehabilitation programs.

Conditions

No Condition

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Slow Pranayama Group

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Slow Pranayama

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will practice pranayama in a quiet room, comfortably seated (sukhasana), maintained at a comfortable temperature (24 ± 2°C). Sessions typically take place as follows:

Participants in the Slow Pranayama Group will practice the Anuloma Viloma, Savitri, and Ujjayi breathing techniques. Slow pranayama breathing will be practiced for two minutes, with one-minute rests between each breathing technique, for a total of three cycles. Each cycle will last approximately nine minutes. Participants in both groups will rest in savasana for 10 minutes at the end of the session.

No drugs or devices are used. The intervention is a controlled breathing exercise technique.

Fast Pranayama Group

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Fast Pranayama

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will practice pranayama in a quiet room, comfortably seated (sukhasana), maintained at a comfortable temperature (24 ± 2°C). Sessions will typically be conducted as follows:

Participants in the Fast Pranayama Group will practice Kapalabhati, Bhastrika, and Agnisar breathing. Each breathing technique will be practiced for one minute, followed by a one-minute rest. This will be practiced for a total of four cycles. Each cycle will last approximately six minutes.

No drugs or devices are used. The intervention is a controlled breathing exercise technique.

Interventions

Slow Pranayama

Participants will practice pranayama in a quiet room, comfortably seated (sukhasana), maintained at a comfortable temperature (24 ± 2°C). Sessions typically take place as follows:

Participants in the Slow Pranayama Group will practice the Anuloma Viloma, Savitri, and Ujjayi breathing techniques. Slow pranayama breathing will be practiced for two minutes, with one-minute rests between each breathing technique, for a total of three cycles. Each cycle will last approximately nine minutes. Participants in both groups will rest in savasana for 10 minutes at the end of the session.

No drugs or devices are used. The intervention is a controlled breathing exercise technique.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Fast Pranayama

Participants will practice pranayama in a quiet room, comfortably seated (sukhasana), maintained at a comfortable temperature (24 ± 2°C). Sessions will typically be conducted as follows:

Participants in the Fast Pranayama Group will practice Kapalabhati, Bhastrika, and Agnisar breathing. Each breathing technique will be practiced for one minute, followed by a one-minute rest. This will be practiced for a total of four cycles. Each cycle will last approximately six minutes.

No drugs or devices are used. The intervention is a controlled breathing exercise technique.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Between age 18-35

Exclusion Criteria

• Subjects who have practiced yoga techniques in the last year.
• Subjects with a history of previous or current organic disease.
• Subjects who cannot practice pranayama due to physical abnormalities.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Istanbul Medipol University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

gorkem ata

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Istanbul Medipol University

Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Central Contacts

Görkem ATA, Ph.D.

Role: CONTACT

gata@medipol.edu.tr

+905546464362

Facility Contacts

Görkem ATA, Ph.D.

Role: primary

gata@medipol.edu.tr

+905546464362

Other Identifiers

E-10840098-202.3.02-4030

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id