Key result
Daily yogic breathing reduces systolic blood pressure by ~7 mmHg vs. standard lifestyle care.
Why the study?
Hypertension is a major global health concern, and lifestyle interventions such as yoga-based stress management are increasingly recognized as complementary approaches for blood pressure control.
Does a 12-week yogic breathing and relaxation programme reduce blood pressure in adults with Stage 1 hypertension or elevated blood pressure?
RCT (n=66)
Computer-generated randomized sequence
No
Does a 12-week yogic breathing and relaxation programme reduce blood pressure in adults with Stage 1 hypertension or elevated blood pressure?
Absolute Event Rate: 124.06% vs 130.85%
p-value: p=<0.001
A 12-week structured yogic breathing and relaxation program significantly reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure and improves perceived stress and sleep quality in adults with elevated blood pressure or Stage 1 hypertension.
Supports adjunctive yogic breathing for Stage 1 hypertension; extends RCT evidence for non-pharmacological BP control.
Background Hypertension is a major global health concern associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Lifestyle interventions, including yoga-based stress management, are increasingly recognized as complementary approaches for blood pressure control.. Purpose To evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-week structured yogic breathing and relaxation programme compared with standard non-pharmacological care in adults with hypertension. Methods In this randomized controlled trial at AIIMS Rishikesh, 66 adults with Stage 1 hypertension or elevated blood pressure were randomized to either a yoga intervention or standard care. The intervention group practised a validated 40-minute daily yoga module comprising pranayama and relaxation techniques. Primary outcomes were changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, while secondary outcomes included BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, sleep quality, perceived stress, and alcohol use. Results After 12 weeks, the yoga group showed significant reductions in systolic (132.42 ± 3.96 to 124.06 ±4.11 mmHg; p <0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (84.42± 2.82 to 78.61 ± 3.89 mmHg; p <0.01), with significant improvements in perceived stress (p=0.001) and sleep quality (p = 0.019). BMI and waist-to-hip ratio showed clinically relevant but non-significant improvements. Conclusion A 12-week yogic breathing and relaxation programme effectively reduced blood pressure and improved lifestyle parameters, supporting its integration into hypertension management. Further long-term studies are warranted.
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Sharma et al. (2026) conducted an RCT in Stage 1 hypertension or elevated blood pressure (n=66). Yogic breathing and relaxation programme vs. Standard non-pharmacological recommendations (brisk walking, DASH diet, lifestyle modifications) was evaluated on Systolic blood pressure at 12 weeks (p=<0.001). A 12-week daily yogic breathing and relaxation program significantly reduced systolic blood pressure to 124.06 mmHg compared to 130.85 mmHg with standard care (p<0.001) in adults with hypertension.
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