--- title: Does pranayama breathing training reduce PMS symptoms and improve brain function? description: Yes. Women with PMS who completed 8 weeks of pranayama training showed significant improvements in nerve function and cognitive performance compared to those url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effect-of-pranayama-on-sympatho-vagal-imbalance-and-cognitive-deficit-in-2024/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does pranayama breathing training reduce PMS symptoms and improve brain function? Survey study, 2024 # Does pranayama breathing training reduce PMS symptoms and improve brain function? Yes. Women with PMS who completed 8 weeks of pranayama training showed significant improvements in nerve function and cognitive performance compared to those who didn't train. The study is small, and we don't know if effects last after training stops. Moderate study design 40 women of reproductive age, 20 with PMS and 20 without ## What they did Randomized controlled trial of 40 women of reproductive age: 20 with PMS, 20 without. The 20 women with PMS were randomly split into two groups of 10. One group received 8 weeks of pranayama breathing training; the other received no intervention. Researchers measured nerve function, heart rate variability, and cognitive performance at baseline and after the intervention. ## What they found At baseline, women with PMS showed significantly impaired autonomic nerve function and poorer cognitive performance compared to those without PMS. After 8 weeks of pranayama training, women with PMS showed significant improvement in autonomic function and cognitive performance. ## What it means for you Pranayama breathing appears to help improve nerve balance and mental function in PMS. However, the study is small (only 10 women received training) and we don't know how long improvements last after stopping practice. It's unclear which types of PMS benefit most or whether this works for all women. 40 Total participants (20 with PMS, 20 without) 8 weeks Duration of pranayama training ## About the study Original title Effect of pranayama on sympatho-vagal imbalance and cognitive deficit in premenstrual syndrome Authors Feula AJM, Yerrabelli D, Pal GK Journal Journal of family medicine and primary care Year 2024 Study design Survey study Participants 20 What was tested 8 weeks of pranayama breathing training Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1104_23](https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1104_23) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Cohort study, 2023 Is PMDD a valid medical diagnosis? Review, 2015 What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated? Systematic review, 2026 What types of talking therapy have been studied for PMS and PMDD? Systematic review, 2026 Can mindfulness, yoga or qigong help with PMS symptoms? Systematic review, 2026 Do digital tools and apps help reduce PMS and PMDD symptoms? Survey study, 2026 Are PMS and PMDD the same condition or are they different? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗