Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts the autonomic nervous system.
Open accessAbstract
Pranayamic breathing, defined as a manipulation of breath movement, has been shown to contribute to a physiologic response characterized by the presence of decreased oxygen consumption, decreased heart rate, and decreased blood pressure, as well as increased theta wave amplitude in EEG recordings, increased parasympathetic activity accompanied by the experience of alertness and reinvigoration. The mechanism of how pranayamic breathing interacts with the nervous system affecting metabolism and autonomic functions remains to be clearly understood. It is our hypothesis that voluntary slow deep breathing functionally resets the autonomic nervous system through stretch-induced inhibitory signals and hyperpolarization currents propagated through both neural and non-neural tissue which synchronizes neural elements in the heart, lungs, limbic system and cortex. During inspiration, stretching of lung tissue produces inhibitory signals by action of slowly adapting stretch receptors (SARs) and hyperpolarization current by action of fibroblasts. Both inhibitory impulses and hyperpolarization current are known to synchronize neural elements leading to the modulation of the nervous system and decreased metabolic activity indicative of the parasympathetic state. In this paper we propose pranayama's physiologic mechanism through a cellular and systems level perspective, involving both neural and non-neural elements. This theoretical description describes a common physiological mechanism underlying pranayama and elucidate the role of the respiratory and cardiovascular system on modulating the autonomic nervous system. Along with facilitating the design of clinical breathing techniques for the treatment of autonomic nervous system and other disorders, this model will also validate pranayama as a topic requiring more research.
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Slow breathing exercises such as those in pranayama yoga improve stress-related physiology, including autonomic imbalance, cardiopulmonary and neuroendocrine function, and mood.
“Slow breathing exercises such as those in pranayama yoga improve stress-related physiology, including autonomic imbalance, cardiopulmonary and neuroendocrine function, and mood (Brown and Gerbarg, 2005; Jerath et al., 2006; Kaushik et al., 2006; Courtney, 2009; Pramanik et al., 2009; Noble et al., 2017a).”
From Hypothesis: Pulmonary Afferent Activity Patterns During Slow, Deep Breathing Contribute to the Neural Induction of Physiological Relaxation (2019) · cites this paper as Jerath et al., 2006
Relaxation techniques involving slow, deep breathing have shown promise in a variety of cardiorespiratory and stress-related disorders including chronic heart failure, hypertension, anxiety, and depression.
“Relaxation techniques involving slow, deep breathing have shown promise in a variety of cardiorespiratory and stress-related disorders including chronic heart failure, hypertension, anxiety, and depression (Brown and Gerbarg, 2005; Jerath et al., 2006).”
From Hypothesis: Pulmonary Afferent Activity Patterns During Slow, Deep Breathing Contribute to the Neural Induction of Physiological Relaxation (2019) · cites this paper as Jerath et al., 2006
Normal breathing preferentially activates rapidly-adapting receptor afferents (RARs), while deep inhalations also activate slowly-adapting pulmonary receptor afferents (SARs).
“Normal breathing preferentially activates rapidly-adapting receptor afferents (RARs). Deep inhalations also activate slowly-adapting pulmonary receptor afferents (SARs) (Schelegle, 2003; Jerath et al., 2006).”
From Hypothesis: Pulmonary Afferent Activity Patterns During Slow, Deep Breathing Contribute to the Neural Induction of Physiological Relaxation (2019) · cites this paper as Jerath et al., 2006
Physiological and behavioral benefits of slow breathing are believed to be associated with a shift away from sympathetic dominance toward a net increase in parasympathetic (vagal) tone, thereby reducing stress effects.
“Such physiological and behavioral benefits are believed to be associated with a shift away from sympathetic dominance toward a net increase in parasympathetic (vagal) tone, thereby reducing stress effects (Brown and Gerbarg, 2005; Jerath et al., 2006).”
From Hypothesis: Pulmonary Afferent Activity Patterns During Slow, Deep Breathing Contribute to the Neural Induction of Physiological Relaxation (2019) · cites this paper as Jerath et al., 2006
Sustained deep breathing repeatedly activates pulmonary stretch receptors in the lungs and bronchi.
“Sustained deep breathing repeatedly activates pulmonary stretch receptors in the lungs and bronchi.”
From Hypothesis: Pulmonary Afferent Activity Patterns During Slow, Deep Breathing Contribute to the Neural Induction of Physiological Relaxation (2019) · cites this paper as Jerath et al., 2006
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- Authors
- Jerath, R., Edry, J. W., Barnes, V. A., & Jerath, V.
- Affiliations
- Augusta University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Jerath, Ravinder
- Venue
- Medical Hypotheses
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-01
- Volume
- 67
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 566-571
- ISSN
- 0306-9877 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2013681051
- Cited by
- 574
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 60 · 2025: 60 · 2024: 45 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 4.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- philarchive.org
- Locations
- Medical Hypotheses (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PhilPapers (PhilPapers Foundation) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research
- Keywords
- pranayama, slow deep breathing, autonomic nervous system, parasympathetic activity, slowly adapting receptors, neuronal synchronization
- MeSH terms
- Autonomic Nervous System, Breathing Exercises, Humans, Models, Biological, Respiration
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