Breath-based meditation: A mechanism to restore the physiological and cognitive reserves for optimal human performance.
Kirtigandha Salwe Carter, Robert Carter
World Journal of Clinical Cases April 1, 2016 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v4.i4.99 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Sudarshan Kriya |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Stress Neurophysiology Human performance Emotional regulation Cognitive reserve Breathing technique |
| Key points | Argues that daily yogic breathing meditation may preserve compensatory physiological mechanisms, potentially delaying clinical expression of chronic conditions (e.g., hypertension, depression, dementia) and acute states (e.g., massive hemorrhage, panic attack). Proposes that breath-based meditation can optimize human performance across cognitive and physical domains, but contends that rigorous biomedical research is needed to confirm mechanisms and effects. |
Abstract
Stress can be associated with many physiological changes resulting in significant decrements in human performance. Due to growing interests in alternative and complementary medicine by Westerners, many of the traditions and holistic yogic breathing practices today are being utilized as a measure for healthier lifestyles. These state-of-the-art practices can have a significant impact on common mental health conditions such as depression and generalized anxiety disorder. However, the potential of yogic breathing on optimizing human performance and overall well-being is not well known. Breathing techniques such as alternate nostril, Sudarshan Kriya and bhastrika utilizes rhythmic breathing to guide practitioners into a deep meditative state of relaxation and promote self-awareness. Furthermore, yogic breathing is physiologically stimulating and can be described as a natural "technological" solution to optimize human performance which can be categorized into: (1) cognitive function (i.e., mind, vigilance); and (2) physical performance (i.e., cardiorespiratory, metabolism, exercise, whole body). Based on previous studies, we postulate that daily practice of breathing meditation techniques play a significant role in preserving the compensatory mechanisms available to sustain physiological function. This preservation of physiological function may help to offset the time associated with reaching a threshold for clinical expression of chronic state (i.e., hypertension, depression, dementia) or acute state (i.e., massive hemorrhage, panic attic) of medical conditions. However, additional rigorous biomedical research is needed to evaluate the physiological mechanisms of various forms of meditation (i.e., breath-based, mantra, mindfulness) on human performance. These efforts will help to define how compensatory reserve mechanisms of cardiovascular and immune systems are modulated by breath-based meditation. While it has been suggested that breath-based meditation is easier for beginning practitioners when compared to other forms of meditation more research is needed to elucidate these observations. A breath-based meditation sequence such as Sudarshan Kriya has the potential to help develop an individual's self-awareness and support better integration of the brain (i.e., mind) with other organ systems (i.e., body) for enhanced human performance.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Assessment of well-being using Fitbit technology in college students, faculty and staff completing breathing meditation during COVID-19: A pilot study. Mental health & prevention June 1, 2023
- Meditation and the Wandering Mind: A Theoretical Framework of Underlying Neurocognitive Mechanisms. Perspectives on Psychological Science 2021
- Default Mode Network, Meditation, and Age-Associated Brain Changes: What Can We Learn from the Impact of Mental Training on Well-Being as a Psychotherapeutic Approach? Journal of Neural Transplantation and Plasticity April 2, 2019
- A Community-based Stress Management Program: Using Wearable Devices to Assess Whole Body Physiological Responses in Non-laboratory Settings. Journal of Visualized Experiments January 22, 2018
Cites 4
- Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II—Clinical Applications and Guidelines The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine August 1, 2005
- Breathing‐Based Meditation Decreases Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in U.S. Military Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Longitudinal Study Journal of Traumatic Stress August 1, 2014
- Sudarshan Kriya Yoga for Improving Antioxidant Status and Reducing Anxiety in Adults Alternative and Complementary Therapies April 1, 2008
- Effect of integral yoga on psychological and health variables and their correlations International Journal of Yoga 2011