Study of immediate neurological and autonomic changes during kapalbhati pranayama in yoga practitioners
Varun Malhotra, Danish Javed, Santosh Wakode, Rajay Bharshankar, Neha Soni, Patrick K Porter
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care March 3, 2022 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1662_21 (opens in new tab) via DOAJ
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractKapalbhati, a fast-paced breathing exercise from yoga, produces significant changes in heart rate variability (HRV) during and after practice, indicating a shift away from parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) activity and toward sympathetic (fight-or-flight) activation. Brain wave changes were not statistically significant compared to baseline. After the exercise, gamma wave activity increased, suggesting altered control of the brain's default mode network, which is linked to self-referential thought and mind-wandering. The findings clarify previous inconclusive results about kapalbhati's immediate neurological and autonomic effects.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Kapalbhati pranayam |
| Keywords | Autonomic nervous system EEG Hrv Kapalbhati |
| Key finding | Kapalbhati leads to parasympathetic withdrawal and sympathetic activation during practice, with no significant changes in brain waves, but increased gamma wave activation afterward. |
Abstract
Background: Kapalbhati is a fast pace respiratory exercise or pranayam, which is supposed to be practiced by yogis to clean their brain. Pranayamas are well known to improve heart rate variability (HRV) ultimately leading to better autonomic functions. Other studies have observed the immediate effect of kapalbhati on various neurological (brain and spine) and autonomic functions, but their results are varied and inconclusive. Objective: The aim of this study is to find out the changes in HRV and brain waves during and after practice of kapalbhati as compared with the baseline values of different parameters. Methods: Various parameters were measured at baseline, during and after kapalbhati pranayam with the help of Dinamika HRV-Advanced HRV Test System, Moscow, Russia. Statistical analysis was accomplished employing repeated measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni post-hoc analysis and Holm's multiple comparisons using the Version 28.0.0.0 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows (190) SPSS Inc., Chicago. Results: We found that during and after kapalbhati, changes in HRV were significant in time and frequency domain showing parasympathetic withdrawal and insignificant changes in brain waves as compared with reference point values. Conclusion: Kapalbhati is initially energizing, cleansing, and heating. There occurs parasympathetic withdrawal and sympathetic activation during pranayama. There is an increase gamma wave activation post pranayama showing control of the default mode network.