Benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Breathing Technique

Introduction:

Sudarshan kriya is a powerful breathing technique that works on connecting the body and mind through breath. It releases all types of stress - physical, mental, and emotional. By practicing this regularly, one can slowly learn to achieve a thought-free state of mind that can improve the brain's psychological function. Research has proven its healthy effects on psychological disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and manic episodes. Sudarshan kriya's breathing technique is beyond logic; with various stages, breathing will improve respiratory, neurological, and circulatory functions. It is very important to focus on breathing techniques as it reduces stress and relaxes the body. It improves organ function and psychological status.It helps reduce stress-related disorders by improving the autoimmune functioning of the body. It is advised to practice it in cases of stress, anxiety, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress, and depression, along with an ongoing treatment plan.

What Is Sudarshan Kriya?

Sudarshan kriya yoga is known as SKY in research publications. It is a scientifically proven therapy that improves the usage of the lungs through breathing. Through the breathing technique alone, a maximum of 90 % of toxins will be removed from the body and rest through urine and sweat. This yogic practice has been proven to stimulate the vagus nerve, the tenth cranial nerve. This, in turn, will improve the parasympathetic nerve activities and diminish sympathetic activities and thus help relieve physical, mental, and emotional stress. It is the application of ancient yogic science and spirituality for the healthy mind, body, and soul. It is one cost-effective well tolerated noble practice which can be easily followed by the diverse community. It helps in the overall improvement of quality of life, bringing a positive state of mind. It improves the various vital organ functioning in the body, such as pulmonary function, lipid profile, autonomic nervous system, and hemoglobin concentration. It increases the serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which results in antidepressant effects. It improves outcomes if practiced in respiratory diseases like bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It should be practiced regularly along with undergoing treatment and healthy lifestyle practices.

What Are the Benefits of Sudarshan Kriya?

Summarizing the benefits of sudarshan kriya:

• It helps maintain the body toxin-free.

• It provides relief from daily stress.

• It sharpens the intellect and keeps the mind alert.

• It removes harmful free radicals from the body.

• It strengthens the muscles of respiration and improves the volume and capacity of the lungs.

• It prevents easy fatigability.

• It improves the quality of sleep.

• It improves the overall health of the individual.

• It enhances the functioning of the brain.

• It trains the mind to deal with challenges.

• It helps in reducing anxiety and depression.

• It helps in the stabilization of mental activity.

• It helps in preventing insomnia.

• It helps in the healing of cognitive distortion.

• It helps control tobacco chewing habits.

• It helps in relieving oxidative stress.

• It boosts antioxidant activity.

• It gives relaxation to chronic fatigue.

• It gives relief to fibromyalgia.

• It relieves joint pain.

• It reduces asthma.

• It relieves chronic pain.

What Are the Techniques of Sudarshan Kriya?

Following is a detailed description of sudarshan yoga techniques:

• Ujjayi - It is also known as the victorious breath, which involves the experience of conscious breathing sensation in the throat. It is a gradual slow breathing technique with a frequency of two to four breaths per minute. The airway resistance is increased during the expiration and inspiration. It results in physical alertness and calmness in the body.

• Bhastrika - It is also known as ‘bellow breath.’ The air is rapidly exhaled forcefully at 30 breaths per minute. It brings excitement to the body, and later the body feels calm.

• Om - ‘Om’ chanting is done three times, which helps connect the origin and purpose of life. There should be silence after chanting om twice. It brings a state of bliss and mental peace.

• Kriya - Kriya is the most important form, as it improves respiration. Slow to medium breathing is practiced in rhythmic and cyclical patterns. The inhalation should be twice as the exhalation.

How to Do Sudarshan Kriya?

Following are the various steps to do sudarshan kriya:

• The first step is to do ujjayi. It is a slow breathing process in which we can breathe two to four times per minute. With every breath, there should be an increase in resistance toward the airway. It allows the prolonged cycle of breath. In this step, the person can achieve the count of the breath. It brings a calm state of mind, physically and mentally.

• The next step is the ‘bhastrika’ stage. In this step, the air is inhaled rapidly and forcefully exhaled. 30 breaths per minute should be ensured during this step. It brings excitation to the body, followed by calmness.

• The next step is chanting ‘Om.’ It is chanted three times in a row, and the expiration time should be prolonged during this step.

• The last step is to do ‘sudarshan kriya.’ It is the advanced stage which consists of cyclic and rhythmic breathing patterns. It consists of slow and medium breathing patterns.

What Precaution Should Be Taken While Doing Sudarshan Kriya?

Sudarshan kriya should be performed under guidance and proper training. If it is not done properly, the proper effects are not shown in the body. Consultation with a doctor and yoga instructor is essential.

How Does the SKY Influence on Physiological Functions?

The SKY involves a specific sequence of varying breathing patterns separated by small periods of normal breathing. The effects of SKY on physiologic functions have not yet been clarified. The biological postulations from the neurophysiological model of vagus nerve stimulation of yogic breathing propose that the SKY tends to cause vagus stimulation and exhibits many autonomic effects. These effects include changes in the heart rate, improved cognition among those affected by Alzheimer's disease, improved bowel function, etc.

During SKY, varied stimuli are created because of a sequence of breathing techniques. These stimuli are from multiple visceral afferents, sensory receptors, and baroreceptors. These stimuli influence the diverse fiber group present in the vagus nerves. These fiber groups, in turn, induce physiologic changes in organs, glands, and ascending fibers to thalamic generators, the limbic system, and cortical areas. This accounts for the effects of SKY, such as calmness and relaxation with increased attentiveness and concentration.

Sky functions like mechanical hyperventilation, and electronic unilateral vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) stimulate thalamic nuclei, which in turn quietens the frontal cerebral cortex.

The ujjayi practice helps in attaining calmness. The mechanism behind this is to shift to parasympathetic dominance via vagal stimulation. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) indicates increased normal heart rate during inspiration and decreased heart rate during expiration.

RSA is influenced by sympathetic and vagal (parasympathetic) input, and respiratory rate and volume. Slow yoga creates oscillating blood pressure and exaggeration of the normal RSA. Low RSA is observed among those with depression, anxiety, functional dyspepsia, and panic disorder. Ujjayi practice helps increase RSA by increasing parasympathetic influences.

Bhastrika helps in autonomic sympathetic activation. It causes excitation of the central nervous system (CNS) on electroencephalogram (EEG). It activates temporoparietal cortical areas. This further leads to emotional calming along with mental activation and alertness.

Studies have found that chanting Om repeatedly leads to increased physiological alertness, sensitivity, and synchronicity of particular biorhythms. This increases the sensitivity to sensory transmission.

How Does the SKY Influence on the Endocrine System?

Sky influences the endocrine system by modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). HPA axis is needed for fight and flight response and the survival of humans. Sky helps in the release of hormones like prolactin, vasopressin, and oxytocin. Oxytocin helps in increasing bonding and affection. Oxytocin secretion was found to be low among those with major depression. It was noticed that after treatment with SKY, oxytocin was found to increase. Prolactin was found to increase.

A study noticed that after treatment with SKY, blood plasma levels of prolactin tended to get elevated, and cortisol levels stabilized. Increased plasma prolactin levels play a role in producing antidepressant responses. Stable cortisol levels indicate that SKY is not stressful to practice.

Another study observed that SKY practice increased serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and decreased serum cortisol levels. It was concluded that intervention of the SKY practice helped in normalizing BDNF levels in the serum.

Conclusion:

Sudarshan kriya is a yoga practice that helps improve the individual's breathing health. Regular practice helps in relaxation, stress management, and the improvement of respiratory organs. It has shown various positive effects on immune function and nervous system functioning. Stress levels negatively impact the pace of life, physical health, and mental status. Practicing yoga is key to a healthy lifestyle. Sudarshan kriya yoga has various health benefits and has been proven to improve respiratory health. It should be practiced by the people as it does not have any side effects. However, proper training and instruction from experts are required