The Benefits of Pranayama on

Lung Function in the Aging

Adult
Erin E. Stoy
University of Washington
de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging
 How well are you breathing?

Depth and rate of respirations

Posture
 Notice a difference?

Pranayama helps the body fully use the
breath to oxygenate the body and eliminate
waste and CO2

But what are the benefits to the aging adult .
..?
 What is pranayama?

“Breath control”

Used in tandem with asanas to focus the mind.

Traditionally, pranayama was used as a spiritual
practice.

Three Stages:
– Inspiration (puraka)
– Expiration (rechaka)
– The halting of the breath (kumbhaka)
 Changes in lung function
in the elderly

Decreased chest compliance
– Diaphragm and respiratory muscles weaken
– Stiffening of chest wall
– Decreased elastic recoil

Decreased airway size

Decreased Diffusion

Decreased Exercise tolerance

Decreased response to hypoxia and hypercapnia

Decrease in mucociliary transport

Cumulative Toxic exposure

Decreased immune response
The Merck Manual of Geriatrics: Chapter 75. Aging and the Lungs, 2005.
 Research Findings

Yoga and breath control in healthy individuals (Raub, 2002)
– Improved lung capacity
– Increased oxygen delivery to muscles
– Decreased resting heart rate and the respiratory rate
– Improved exercise tolerance

1986 study on asanas, breath control, and meditation (Nagendra &
Nagarathna as cited in Raub, 2002).
– 70% of 570 asthma patients were able to reduce asthma
medications
– significant improvement in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR)

Decreased response to histamine in asthma patients (Singh, 1990).

Changes in autonomic function (G.K. Pal, 2004)

Reduction in chemoreflexive response to hypercapnia (Raub, 2002)

Increased flexibility (Raub, 2002)
 Synthesis of Research

Improved lung capacity, oxygen delivery and decrease in
resting heart rate and respiratory rate = improved exercise
capacity

Increased parasympathetic tone and decreased sympathetic
tone leads to less stress on body and preserves body’s
ability to fight off disease, including respiratory illnesses.

In combination with yoga asanas, reduce stiffness of chest
wall, maintain elastic recoil and improve muscle strength =
maintained lung capacity.
Namaste!