October 2008, Vol 134, No.

4_MeetingAbstracts
Abstract: Poster Presentations | October 2008

IMPROVEMENT IN LUNG FUNCTION

WITH A UNIQUE BREATHING
TECHNIQUE: SUDARSHAN KRIYA
YOGA (SKY)
Saicharan G. Bodi, MD*; Reddy N. Sagar, MD; Chelluri E. Prasad, MD; SV Prasad, MD
Chest Hospital, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, India
Chest
Chest. 2008;134(4_MeetingAbstracts):p144003.
doi:10.1378/chest.134.4_MeetingAbstracts.p144003

Abstract
PURPOSE: Spirometry is one of the most widely used Pulmonary Function Tests by physicians
worldwide.Many breathing techniques and exercises have been tested to observe for
improvement in lung function by spirometry, FEV1, FVC & PEFR in particular. Sudarshan
Kriya Yoga (SKY) is a unique rhythmic breathing technique cognized by the world renowned
spiritual leader and founder of Art Of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The
neurophysiological and immunological effects of SKY have already been studied.We intended to
study the effect of SKY on lung function of normal healthy adults.
METHODS: Study design : Observational prospective study. Setting :A Tertiary care hospital in
Southern India .Subjects : 63 normal adult patients above 18 years (45 males,18 females
)volunteered for the study. All subjects participated in a 1 week (18 hours)course of Art Of
Living, inclusive of SKY.Spirometry was perfomed by a trained person for all the subjects by the
Spiro USB of Micro Medical, UK .
RESULTS: The mean FEV 1 improved from 2.7397 L (pre SKY )to 2.7905 L (post SKY) (p >
0.05). The mean FVC improved from 3.1211 L (pre SKY) to 3.3275 L (post SKY) with p <
0.0001. The mean PEFR changed from 390.015 L/min (pre SKY) to 441.952L/min (post SKY )
which is highly significant (p < 0.0001).
CONCLUSION: There is a statistically significant increase in the two lung function parameters
FVC and PEFR but not in FEV 1 after practising a short course of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY)
among normal healthy adults.
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: SKY a simple and easily practised breathing technique, by
improving the lung function of normal healthy adults, may have implications in serving as an
adjunctive complementary treatment modality for improvement in lung function among the
patients of obstructive airway disease, Asthmatics in particular.
DISCLOSURE: Saicharan Bodi, No Financial Disclosure Information; No Product/Research
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