Effect of Pranayama and Meditation on Well-being among University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Well-being, reflecting health, happiness and prosperity, is crucial for quality of life. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of pranayama and mindfulness (vipassana) meditation for improving well-being of university students. In this single-blind randomized control trial, 150 undergraduate students (aged, 18-23 years) were employed. The participants of both genders (male:female = 1:1) were randomly allocated into two groups: yoga (n=75) and control (n=75). The yoga group, engaged in daily 60-min pranayama and mindfulness (vipassana) meditation sessions over a period of ten-weeks, while the control group maintained their regular routine. The participants were assessed for well-being, body mass index, blood pressure and pulse rate using standard measures. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0. Repeated measure analyses of variance (RMANOVA) followed by Bonferroni adjusted post hoc analyses have shown that there is a significant improvement in overall well-being (p<0.001) in the yoga group after ten weeks and at follow-up. Additionally, significant changes were observed in biomarkers (BMI and BP) at different stages of the study (p<0.05, in all cases). The findings of this study reveal that the combined practice of pranayama and mindfulness (vipassana) meditation exhibits potential benefits in improving well-being and biomarker outcomes among university students.