A 40-minute Yoga Nidra relaxation session decreased blood pressure and improved heart rate variability markers of parasympathetic dominance in a 65-year-old hypertensive male.
Case Report (n=1)
Does a 40-min Yoga Nidra relaxation session improve blood pressure and heart rate variability in a hypertensive patient?
A single 40-minute Yoga Nidra session acutely reduced blood pressure and improved heart rate variability markers of parasympathetic tone in a hypertensive patient.
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for mortality globally, accounting for 10.4 million deaths globally.About 24% of fatalities from coronary heart disease and 57% of deaths from stroke are caused by hypertension, which is identified by the World Health Organization as a significant cause of premature death.Yoga Nidra, a simplified version of ancient relaxation, aims to balance the body and mind, promoting parasympathetic activity and lowering the blood pressure.A 65-year-old male patient with exhaustion and palpitations presented at the outpatient department with a history of hypertension and no medication for the last 5 months.The patient underwent a 40-min Yoga Nidra relaxation, and pre-and post-blood pressure and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements were performed.The blood pressure decreased, and there were reductions in the root mean square of the successive differences and standard deviation of the NN (R-R) intervals, as observed in the HRV analysis.Significantly, the highfrequency (HF) band relative power expressed in standard units (HF) increased, and the percentage of consecutive R-R intervals that are at least 50 ms distant (pNN50) also increased, indicating parasympathetic dominance.Conversely, the low-frequency/ high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio decreased.Yoga Nidra, a yoga practice, has been shown to reduce blood pressure and improve HRV, indicating its potential as a safe and effective hypertension management strategy, despite the need for further controlled research.
Ragavee et al. (2025) conducted a case report in Hypertension (n=1). Yoga Nidra was evaluated on Blood pressure and heart rate variability. A 40-minute Yoga Nidra relaxation session decreased blood pressure and improved heart rate variability markers of parasympathetic dominance in a 65-year-old hypertensive male.