Immediate Effect of Ujjayi Pranayama on Attention and Anxiety among University Students: A Randomised Self-control Study

Introduction: Elevated level of anxiety and low attention in university students has detrimental effects on their academic performance and well-being. The practice of pranayama is considered to enhance the attention and reduce anxiety of individuals. Though, ujjayi pranayama has a relaxing and tranquilising effect, its effects on attention and anxiety in students has not been explored yet.

Aim: To assess the immediate effect of ujjayi pranayama on sustained attention, selective attention and state-trait anxiety in university students.

Materials and Methods: This was a randomised self-control study in which 34 students were randomly divided into group A and group B using the lottery method. Inclusion criteria were students in the age range of 18-35 years, conversant in English, willing to participate and having at least two years of proficiency in pranayama practice. The assessment and intervention were conducted at the yoga hall of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anausandhana Samsthana, Bangalore, Karnataka, India, in the month of April 2015. The duration of intervention was for 10 minutes. On day one, group A practiced ujjayi pranayama for eight minutes and two minutes of breath observation. Students in group B were asked to sit in a meditative posture with eyes open. The order was reversed on the day two. Students from both groups were assessed just before and immediately after the intervention using the Digit Letter Substitution Test (DLST), Six Letter Cancellation Test (SLCT), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Results: A total of 34 participants with mean age 23.35±3.82 years were randomised into group A and group B. Statistical analysis showed, a significant difference in STAI scores (9.00±3.05 vs 10.29±3.23, p=0.005). No significant difference was observed in other variables in between group comparison. Likewise, the within group analysis showed a significant difference in pre and post scores of DLST (53.68±9.35 vs 59.65±9.66, p<0.001), SLCT (30.21±10.29 vs 33.71±11.67, p=0.007), and STAI (11.5±3.40 vs 9.00±3.05, p<0.001) in the group A as well as a significant difference in pre and post scores of DLST (55.82±10.44 vs 60.00±9.51, p=0.002) and STAI (10.94±3.19 vs 10.29±3.23, p=0.024) in the group B.

Conclusion: The present study suggested that ujjayi pranayama improves sustained and selective attention and reduces the state-trait anxiety of university students. However, further studies to assess the chronic effect of ujjayi pranayama with greater sample size and advanced tools are required to support the present finding.