Investigating the Role of Yogic Practices in Enhancing Respiratory and Cardiovascular Function: An Intervention Study

Aminur Rahaman; Tarak Nath Pramanik

doi:10.15391/prrht.2025-10(3).09

Authors

Aminur Rahaman Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-845X
Tarak Nath Pramanik Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi, India https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9322-6776

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15391/prrht.2025-10(3).09

Keywords:

Yogic practice, cardiovascular function, respiratory function, intervention study, physiological health

Abstract

Purpose. Optimal respiratory and cardiovascular health is essential for well-being. Yogic practices, through breathing and postures, show promise in enhancing these functions. Purpose: This study investigated the effects of a twelve-week structured yogic intervention on selected respiratory and cardiovascular parameters in male students.

Material & Methods. The study was conducted at Shyampahari Government Primary Teacher Training Institute, Birbhum, West Bengal, India, with 24 male participants aged 17–22. A control group (n=12) and an experimental group (n=12) were randomly assigned to the participants. The experimental group practiced an organized yogic practice that included relaxation, asanas, pranayama, and suryanamaskar. The control group, on the other hand, continued their usual activities. The following metrics were measured before and after the intervention: respiratory rate, resting pulse rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, positive and negative breath-holding times. Using IBM SPSS (version 25), the statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, paired t-tests for within-group differences, independent t-tests for between-group comparisons, and Shapiro-Wilk and Levene's tests for normality and variance at α=0.05.

Results. The experimental group showed substantial improvements in all measures, including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and positive and negative breath-holding times, according to paired t-tests. In contrast, there were no significant changes in these parameters in the control group. Independent t-tests of pre-test showed no significant differences between the experimental and control groups across any variables. However, post-test comparisons between the groups showed significant differences in pulse rate and positive breath-holding time, favoring the experimental group, conversely, no significant differences were observed for other variables (p>0.05).

Conclusions. A twelve-week yogic intervention significantly enhanced respiratory and cardiovascular function in the experimental group, supporting yoga’s role as a complementary practice for improving physiological health. Incorporating yogic practices into fitness programs may yield substantial benefits for young adults.

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