Aggregate Effects of Yoga-Based Volitional Breathing Interventions on Perceived Stress and Anxiety Levels Among Medical Students Worldwide: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Cureus May 1, 2026 Anupinder Thind, Pravin M Pisudde, Sonia Kochhar
A systematic review and meta-analysis of seven studies found that yoga-based volitional breathing (pranayama) interventions significantly reduced self-perceived stress and anxiety among medical students worldwide. The pooled effect size was large (standardized mean difference = -1.25), though heterogeneity was high. Short-term programs (8 weeks or less) showed a significantly larger effect than longer programs. The single randomized controlled trial included, which had a low risk of bias, also showed a very large effect. The authors conclude that pranayama interventions are a powerful and viable mental health promotion approach for medical students, while noting that additional high-quality trials are needed.