LAUSR

Abstract Objectives Hectic, late-night lifestyle has reduced 90 min sleep in 20% adults resulting in insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). We assess the scope of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY), a 4-component, breathing process in reducing EDS, generally and situationally. Methods This is a prospective, controlled study involving randomized subjects without any sleep-wake cycle anomalies and prior experience in SKY. Subjects (n=52) performed 30 min of SKY for 6 days/week for 8 weeks, while controls (n=53) performed sitting activity and Suryanamaskar for 4-weeks each. Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was used to measure EDS at 0, 4, and 8 weeks. Results SKY group showed significant ESS score improvements between 0–4 weeks and 4–8 weeks of 1.22 (p=0.0001) and 1.66 (p=0.001) respectively. Controls however failed to improve with score differences of 0.02 (p=0.892) and 0.02 (p=0.8212) respectively. SKY group showed significant ESS score improvement over controls at 4-weeks (difference=1.74; p=0.013) and 8-weeks (difference eight; p=0.0001). Improvement was most for obese people and those sitting in a halted car. Conclusions Improvement in subjects’ nighttime sleep and daytime wakefulness in SKY practitioners can be attributed to polyvagal theory. Increased heart rate variability (HRV) alterations and sympathetic hyperarousal in chronic insomnia; and cholinergic and GABAergic dysregulation in anxiety disorders are countered by regulated vagal nerve stimulation post SKY. Our study establishes effectivity of SKY in reducing EDS (total and situational), provides a clinical correlation for prior polysomnographic evidence and paves way for larger trials directed towards SKY prescriptions for insomnia.