Effects of yogic breath regulation: A narrative review of scientific evidence

Pranayama or breath regulation is considered as an essential component of Yoga, which is said to influence the physiological systems. We present a comprehensive overview of scientific literature in the field of yogic breathing. We searched PubMed, PubMed Central and IndMed for citations for keywords “Pranayama” and “Yogic Breathing”. The search yielded a total of 1400 references. Experimental papers, case studies and case series in English, revealing the effects of yogic breathing were included in the review. The preponderance of literature points to beneficial effects of yogic breathing techniques in both physiological and clinical setups. Advantageous effects of yogic breathing on the neurocognitive, psychophysiological, respiratory, biochemical and metabolic functions in healthy individuals were elicited. They were also found useful in management of various clinical conditions. Overall, yogic breathing could be considered safe, when practiced under guidance of a trained teacher. Considering the positive effects of yogic breathing, further large scale studies with rigorous designs to understand the mechanisms involved with yogic breathing are warranted. Keywords: Yoga, Yogic breathing, Pranayama, Physiological effects, Health benefit

Geometry-driven wormholes in Barthel-Randers space-time under generalized Rastall framework

This work focuses on constructing and examining traversable wormhole solutions within the framework of generalized Rastall gravity combined with Finsler-Randers geometry. It employs the Barthel connection for anisotropic alterations in the space-time structure. As a generalization of Einstein's theory, Rastall gravity modifies the conservation principle for the energy-momentum tensor, thereby allowing for a more flexible analysis of energy condition breaches. Simultaneously, Finsler-Randers geometry, as a natural extension of Riemannian geometry, introduces direction-dependent modifications to the curvature of space-time, which affect both the stability of wormholes and geodesic trajectories. Our detailed investigation into the field equations, energy conditions, and traversability standards shows that stable wormholes can be realized without invoking exotic matter, assuming specific parameters are satisfied. This contribution to wormhole research accentuates the role of anisotropy and equilibrium in sustaining stable configurations, thereby fostering continued exploration of their feasibility within theoretical models and potential relevance to astrophysical phenomena. Our results enhance the broader comprehension of modified gravity frameworks and their applicability to traversable wormhole physics, providing new perspectives on the relationship between geometric structure and gravitational behavior