The Effect of Pranayama on Stress and Depression in College Female Students

Abstract

In the last two decades, a large number of studies have been conducted on yoga and the same has turned out to be useful or rather a boon in the treatment or mitigation or halt of plethora of diseases. The present study was conducted to assess how impactful is pranayama in reducing stress as well as depression among college going female students of Saboo college, Pilani, Rajasthan, India. The study was conducted on 80 female college athletes between the age group of 18 to 21 years by dividing into two equal groups of 40 each as control and experimental group. In this present study, researcher made an attempt to explore the impact of pranayama on stress and depression level of college female students. The psychological Depression, Anxiety and stress scale (DASS) (lovibond,SHand lovibond<PF,(1995) wereput in to effect for the purpose of the study. The statistical tool namely, paired t-tests was applied.For the selected subjects under pranayama as a physiological variable, a 12 week training session was held. Every week for 60-70 minutes for 5 days under the guidance of a specialist. The recorded data was subjected to analysis using SPSS. Tool. Depression and stress decreased significantly in women after 12 sessions of regular pranayama yoga practice.