The Indian Journal of Physiology Pharmacology.
1997 Apr;41(2):129-33
Raghuraj P, Nagarathna R, Nagendra HR, Telles S.
Vivekananda Kendra Yoga Research Foundation, Bangalore.
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The present study was conducted to determine whether breathing through a particular nostril has a lateralized effect on hand grip strength. 130 right hand dominant, school children between 11 and 18 yrs of age were randomly assigned to 5 groups. Each group had a specific yoga practice in addition to the regular program for a 10 day yoga camp.
The practices were:
(1) right-,
(2) left-,
(3) alternate- nostril breathing
(4) breath awareness and
(5) practice of mudras. Hand grip strength of both hands was assessed initially and at the end of 10 days for all 5 groups. The right-, left- and alternate-nostril breathing groups had a significant increase in grip strength of both hands, ranging from 4.1% to 6.5%, at the end of the camp though without any lateralization effect. The breath awareness and mudra groups showed no change. Hence the present results suggest that yoga breathing through a particular nostril, or through alternate nostrils increases hand grip strength of both hands without lateralization.