Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part I—Neurophysiologic Model
Abstract
Mind-body interventions are beneficial in stress-related mental and physical disorders. Current research is finding associations between emotional disorders and vagal tone as indicated by heart rate variability. A neurophysiologic model of yogic breathing proposes to integrate research on yoga with polyvagal theory, vagal stimulation, hyperventilation, and clinical observations. Yogic breathing is a unique method for balancing the autonomic nervous system and influencing psychologic and stress-related disorders. Many studies demonstrate effects of yogic breathing on brain function and physiologic parameters, but the mechanisms have not been clarified. Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY), a sequence of specific breathing techniques (ujjayi, bhastrika, and Sudarshan Kriya) can alleviate anxiety, depression, everyday stress, post-traumatic stress, and stress-related medical illnesses. Mechanisms contributing to a state of calm alertness include increased parasympathetic drive, calming of stress response systems, neuroendocrine release of hormones, and thalamic generators. This model has heuristic value, research implications, and clinical applications.
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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 Brown and Gerbarg, 2005
Modulating breath promotes parasympathetic dominance.
“Modulating breath also increases vagal tone, dampens sympathetic nervous system activity (Calabrese et al., 2000; Brown and Gerbarg, 2005; Schmalzl et al., 2015), promotes parasympathetic dominance (Sovik, 2000; Brown and Gerbarg, 2005), and facilitates stress regulation and cognitive control (Sharma, 2014).”
From Mindfulness, Interoception, and the Body: A Contemporary Perspective (2019) · cites this paper as Brown and Gerbarg, 2005
Modulating breath dampens sympathetic nervous system activity.
“Modulating breath also increases vagal tone, dampens sympathetic nervous system activity (Calabrese et al., 2000; Brown and Gerbarg, 2005; Schmalzl et al., 2015), promotes parasympathetic dominance (Sovik, 2000; Brown and Gerbarg, 2005), and facilitates stress regulation and cognitive control (Sharma, 2014).”
From Mindfulness, Interoception, and the Body: A Contemporary Perspective (2019) · cites this paper as Brown and Gerbarg, 2005
Modulating breath increases vagal tone.
“Modulating breath also increases vagal tone, dampens sympathetic nervous system activity (Calabrese et al., 2000; Brown and Gerbarg, 2005; Schmalzl et al., 2015), promotes parasympathetic dominance (Sovik, 2000; Brown and Gerbarg, 2005), and facilitates stress regulation and cognitive control (Sharma, 2014).”
From Mindfulness, Interoception, and the Body: A Contemporary Perspective (2019) · cites this paper as Brown and Gerbarg, 2005
Fast + slow practices may train the autonomic nervous system to engage the parasympathetic branch more readily following high sympathetic activation.
“They may, alternatively, train the autonomic nervous system to engage the parasympathetic branch more readily following high sympathetic activation [111].”
From Breathing Practices for Stress and Anxiety Reduction: Conceptual Framework of Implementation Guidelines Based on a Systematic Review of the Published Literature (2023) · cites this paper as [111]
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References 85 · Cited by 655
- Authors
- Brown, R. P., & Gerbarg, P. L.
- Affiliations
- Columbia University (US)
- New York Medical College (US)
- ORCID
- Gerbarg, Patricia L.
- Venue
- The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2005-02
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 189-201
- ISSN
- 1075-5535 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-7708
- OpenAlex
- W1980326460
- Cited by
- 655
- References
- 85
- Citations by year
- 2026: 36 · 2025: 50 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 53 · 2021: 47 · 2020: 46 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 41 · 2012: 28
- FWCI
- 11.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Biofield Effects and Biophysics
- Keywords
- pranayama, stress, anxiety, depression, polyvagal theory, vagal tone, heart rate variability, autonomic nervous system, parasympathetic activity, post-traumatic stress, neuroendocrine hormones, thalamus, mind-body interventions
- MeSH terms
- Anxiety, Autonomic Nervous System, Breathing Exercises, Depression, Electric Stimulation Therapy, Humans, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Stress, Psychological, Vagus Nerve, Yoga
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