Research on yogic breathing techniques

A Research Study conducted in the Himalayas has found that Yogic Breathing increases the oxygen level in the blood at 3650 metres elevation.

In September 2018, an international pilot prospective study was conducted at an altitude of 3650m in the Indian Himalayas. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of Yogic breathing — a new version of Bhujangini Pranayama created by Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda, founding author of the system Yoga in Daily Life.

During three days of measurement, oxygen blood level increased to 93% from 89% following the practice of this yogic breathing technique at the altitude of 3650m.

This study, therefore, confirmed that the modified Bhujangini Pranayama technique increases the level of oxygen in the blood compared to that of regular breathing.

Spatenkova V., Bednar R., Oravcova G., Melichova A., Kuriscak E.: Yogic breathing in a hypobaric environment: breathing exercising and its effect on hypobaric hypoxemia and heart rate at 3650m elevation.

The research was presented at the International Conference of Sri Swami Madhavananda World Peace Council (SSMWPC) and Yoga in Daily Life in Brno, CZ. on 8 September 2021. (article)

Read the whole research: Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation 2021,17(4):270-278.
320 kb PDF document link: jer-17-4-270.pdf