Alternate Nostril Breathing for high blood pressure

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello to all members,

                         I am Aditya 28 years old male, software engineer as a professional. For past years I am struggling with high blood pressure induced by stress and anxiety, I have done all the medical tests and they are fine. I have read and done research that pranayama can really help to cure this problem.

I am doing simple alternate nostril breathing practice for 20 minutes without any breath retention and with normal pace and very natural, no force, no pressure. Please give me your valuable suggestions on this issue, is that the way I am doing is fine or should I modify it and weather pranayama does really help in this regard.

Thanks And Regards
Aditya

#2

Alternate nostril breathing is a good start but you will need more. There is an excellent book from the Bihar School of Yoga, “The Effects of Yoga on Hypertension” which will be very helpful to you.

It outlines an 8 week programme of asana, pranayama, meditation and Yoga Nidra which you then continue for at least 6 months.

If you have been prescribed medication then you should continue to take it until your doctor tells you otherwise. I have a friend who used to take his meds until his B.P. came down and would then discontinue until such time as it rose again to dangerous levels. He eventually had a stroke.

Good luck with the programme

#3

Dear Aditya,
It is definite that alternate breathing is recommended in Hypertension, without holding breath, in ratio of 1:1 or 1:2. But, it should be practiced for 5 minutes at a time and may be repeated two to three times a day on empty stomach.

Meditation is another Yoga method which is highly beneficial in management of Hypertension. Doctors of internal medicines are advising their patients of mild to moderate hypertension cases with meditation and Yoga over medication. Of course, most of them are suffering from essential hypertension (i.e hypertension caused by stress of various forms and aging process) , not organic hypertension (i.e. hypertension caused by malfunctioning organs like heart, kidney, etc.).

I do agree with “Yogaprem” (as above)

  1. management of hypertension need holistic approach and Bihar Schoool of Yoga’s book is a good guide.
  2. Do not discontinue medicines advised by your doctor(s) till it is objectively proved that Yoga methods you are practicing are helping you.
    To determine so, get your blood pressure checked for 15 to 30 days, daily on same time and let doctor advise.

Dietary reforms should definitely addressed. Most importantly, other causes than forms of stress (frustration, anxiety, pressure, conflicts, etc.), such increased cholesterol, etc should be taken into account while taking steps to manage hypertension.

#4

Misidentifying oneself as the body, mind or vital energy can lead to a stressful existence of unnecessary anxieties.

#5

As Ray so aptly points out, getting at the symptoms and getting at the cause are very different things. Please DO, over time, get at the crux of the issue.

In the meantime know that some pranayama is soothing while other pranayama is not. Additionally, pranayama done incorrectly can aggravate rather than abate.

I think you’ve been well-advised above and do believe that a robust yoga can support a human being’s healing. However it is best to learn from a skilled teacher. In some cases that is simply not possible. In other cases we create an excuse that it is not possible. Not knowing you I could not say which case suits you.