Int J Yoga Therap. 2026 Jul 28;36(2026):Article 12. doi: 10.17761/2026-D-24-00087.
ABSTRACT
Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent mental health conditions characterized by physiological dysregulation that includes heightened stress responses, low-grade systemic inflammation, and metabolic imbalance, which together contribute to impaired quality of life. Although yoga-based interventions are increasingly used as complementary therapies, evidence isolating the effects of slow pranayama (yoga breathing) and savasana (corpse pose) on psychological outcomes and biochemical markers in anxiety disorders remains limited. This randomized controlled study evaluated the effects of slow pranayama and savasana, implemented as adjuncts to routine psychiatric care, on anxiety severity, quality of life, and selected biochemical markers in individuals with anxiety disorders. A total of 150 people diagnosed with anxiety disorders were allocated to either routine psychiatric care alone (control group) or routine care plus slow pranayama and savasana (intervention group) for 8 weeks. We assessed anxiety severity using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, quality of life using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief questionnaire, and biochemical markers such as serum cortisol, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), inflammatory markers, and metabolic parameters. Outcomes were analyzed using mixed-design analysis of covariance with Bonferroni correction, and correlational analyses were performed between psychometric, quality-of-life, and biochemical variables. Of the enrolled participants, 112 completed the study. Significant Group × Time interactions were observed for anxiety severity scores and the physical, psychological, and environmental domains of quality of life, with improvements noted only in the pranayama group. Serum cortisol levels decreased and BDNF levels increased significantly in the intervention group compared with controls. Inflammatory and metabolic parameters did not show statistically significant changes after correction, although favorable directional trends were observed. Anxiety severity and quality-of-life scores demonstrated significant correlations with cortisol, BDNF, and inflammatory and metabolic markers. Slow pranayama and savasana appear to be safe, feasible, and effective adjuncts to standard psychiatric care, improving anxiety severity and quality of life while favorably modulating stress-related physiological markers in people with anxiety disorders.
PMID:42526897 | DOI:10.17761/2026-D-24-00087
