Effectiveness of pranayama for mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Frontiers in Psychiatry January 1, 2025 Christian Mütze, Dietmar Mitzinger, Heidemarie Haller
A systematic review and meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials involving 517 patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and mixed non-psychotic mental disorders found that prāṇāyāma (traditional yogic breathing techniques) modestly reduced symptom severity compared to passive controls such as wait lists or attention control. The effect was small but statistically significant. Compared to standard care—psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, or antidepressants—prāṇāyāma showed comparable results. No significant effects on depression were found. Quality of life improved only in per-protocol analyses. Adverse events were more common with fast than slow breathing. The authors caution that due to high risk of bias and small sample sizes, prāṇāyāma should not replace standard therapies.