ROLE OF BHRAMARI PRANAYAMA IN PREVENTION AND PROMOTION OF MENTAL HEALTH - A REVIEW
Pranita K Shinde, Kalpana Jadhao, Pradnya Shinde, Milind M Godbole
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal July 18, 2020 DOI: 10.46607/iamj0807152020 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Literary review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Bhramari Pranayama |
| Topics | Breathwork |
| Key findings | Argues that Bhramari Pranayama supports prevention and promotion of mental health and may have curative effects on stress, anxiety, and depression. According to Ayurveda, regular practice decreases Raja and Tama doshas and increases Satva guna. The authors call for clinical trials to develop the findings. |
Abstract
Background -In today’s era lifestyle of people has become very mechanical. Everyone is running in a rat race for target achievement, which results in stress. This stress further effects on physical as well as mental health of an individual. Mental health is the balanced development of emotional attitudes and personality which live harmoniously with all society or community. Mental disorders are characterized by alternation in thinking, mood or behaviour associate with impaired functioning. Mental and behavioural disorders are found in all age groups, and the prevalence rate is about 10%. To overcome these problems, everyone should concentrate on prevention and promotion of health. For physical health healthy diet, daily regimen, seasonal regimen & exercise etc. are the preventive major, and for prevention of mental health Sadvrit-tapalan, application of Acharrasayana, yoga & meditation practises are essential. Yoga consists of eight processes, in this Pranayam is very important to achieve control on Indriyas that is sense organs. Bhramari Pranayam is one of significant type of Ashtakumbhaka & very easy to practice. Vibrations produced due to humming sound of Bhramari Pranayam affects directly on the hypothalamus of the brain, causing a resonance in mind which relieves stress and produces calmness and happiness in the whole body. This arti-cle deals with the role of Bhramari Pranayama in prevention and promotion of mental health to provide a better solution. Aim - To study the role of Bhramari Pranayama in prevention and promotion of mental health. Setting & Design – Literary study. Material & Methods - The present investigation is based on primary & secondary sources of data mainly collected from literature studies of various Ayurvedic Samhitas & texts as well as numerous published research articles. Results & Conclusions This study illustrates that Bhramari Pranayama plays an important role in prevention of mental health as well as curative effects on mental disorders like stress, anxiety depression. According to Ayurveda, regular practice of Bhramari Pranayama decreases the Raja and Tamadosha and increases Satvaguna, which further helps to build mental health. There is a considerable scope to study the effect of Bhramari Pranayam through clinical trials to develop the present study.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on breathwork, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coupling of respiration and attention via the locus coeruleus: Effects of meditation and pranayama | 2018 | Review with original findings | |
| High ventilation breathwork practices: An overview of their effects, mechanisms, and considerations for clinical applications. | 2023 | Review | |
| Breathwork in body psychotherapy: Towards a more unified theory and practice | 2011 | Review | |
| A Practitioner’s Guide to Breathwork in Clinical Mental Health Counseling | 2020 | Review | |
| Bhramari Pranayama as an aid to meditation: A review of classical yoga texts | 2020 | Review |