Non-randomised trial, 2013
Does breathing exercise (anuloma-viloma) or yoga help PMS symptoms?
Yes, both breathing exercises and yoga reduced physical stress signs in women with PMS over three menstrual cycles. The study was small and uncontrolled, so we cannot be sure these work better than doing nothing.
What they did
Researchers divided 60 women with PMS into three groups of 20. One did no exercise, one did anuloma-viloma breathing for 7 days before each period over 3 cycles, and one did yoga. They measured heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, skin response, breathing rate, and body temperature.
What they found
In both treatment groups, heart rate, blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), muscle tension, skin response, and breathing rate all dropped significantly by the third cycle (P < 0.001). Body temperature rose (P < 0.001). There was a significant difference between the three groups (P < 0.05).
What it means for you
Breathing exercise and yoga may lower the physical stress response in PMS. The study was small, did not randomly assign women to groups, and women knew what treatment they received, so the results may not hold up in larger, more controlled studies.
60
Women with PMS studied
3
Menstrual cycles of intervention
20
Women in each group
About the study
- Original title
- Comparative study of effect of anuloma-viloma (pranayam) and yogic asanas in premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Sharma B, Misra R, Singh K et al.
- Journal
- Indian journal of physiology and pharmacology
- Year
- 2013
- Study design
- Non-randomised trial
- Participants
- 20
- What was tested
- Anuloma-viloma breathing exercise or yogic asanas for 7 days before menstruation over 3 consecutive cycles
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24968577/
Topics
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