Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani's invited talk on "Nasal Cycle and its Therapeutic Applications: A Yogic Perspective" during the National Conference on Chronobiology and Health on 18 March 2016 at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in the Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth campus, Pondicherry.

1. Nasal Cycle and its
Therapeutic Applications:
A Yogic Perspective
Yogacharya
Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI
MBBS, ADY, DSM, DPC, PGDFH, PGDY, MD (Alt Med), FIAY
Deputy Director
Centre for Yoga Education, Therapy and Research (CYTER),
Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry. www. sbvu.ac.in

2. SBV AIM HIGH’s
Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education
and Research (CYTER)
Salutogenesis, our focus!

3. “அண்டத்தில் உள்ளதத
பிண்டம்; பிண்டத்தில்
உள்ளதத அண்டம்;
அண்டமும் பிண்டமும்
ஒன்தே அேிந்துதான்
பார்க்கும்தபாதத”
- சட்டடமுனி சித்தர்
That which lies in the macrocosm,
lies in the microcosm.
That which lies in the microcosm
lies in the macrocosm.
When we understand truly,
both are indeed one.
- Sattaimuni Siddhar

4. Time and Tide
Wait for No One !
“I wasted time, and
now doth time waste me”
- William Shakespeare, Richard II

5. Human biorhythms: Ultradian rhythms are recurrent periods or cycles
repeated throughout a 24-hour Circadian day. In contrast, Infradian
rhythms, eg. menstrual cycle, have periods longer than a day.

6. YANTRA,
understanding the
universe and our role in it

7. Interconnectivity
of
Karma
cycles ...
81 and
above….
28 to
54….
Birth to 27....
55 to 81…

10. Swarodaya Vigjnan - Nasal cycle
• Nasal cycle- ultradian rhythm of nasal congestion and
decongestion with quasi-periodicity of 60-240 min.
• 1st formal description and use of the term ‘nasal cycle’
in modern times by Keyser (1895)
• However the concept of the nasal cycle and an
understanding of its role in our life had existed for long
before that in Indian thought.
• Swarodaya Vigjnan – Vedic science of understanding
the functioning of nasal cycle.
– swara = sonorous sound produced by airflow in nostrils,
udaya = functioning state, and vigjnan = wisdom.

11. Ida swara (left) is described as feminine,
Shakti and moon-like (chandra) while
pingala swara (right) as masculine, Shiva
and sun-like (surya).

13. Tenets of Shivaswarodaya
• Physical activities: Engage in robust, dynamic
activities (roudra karya) when right nostril is
dominant (pingala / surya swara).
• Mental activities: Undertake quieter, passive
activities mindful (soumya karya) when left
nostril is dominant (ida / chandra swara),
• Spiritual activities: Silent introspection
and inner focus with concentration,
contemplation and meditation when
bilateral nasal flow is operational
(sushumna swara).

14. Rhythmicity of the swara
• Textbooks of Swara Yoga*describe a definite pattern
of swara in healthy persons at sunrise.
• Chandra swara at sunrise on days 1-3,7-9,13-15 of
bright fortnight, and surya swara on others.
• Surya swara at sunrise on days 1-3,7-9,13-15 of dark
fortnight, and chandra swara on others.
• In modern times, difficult to have these natural
patterns due to haphazard life styles.
• Studies at ICYER reported similar though not exact
relationship between lunar phase and swara pattern.
*Charandas, 1954; Kannan, 1967; Gautam, 1975

16. What’s he doing ???
a. Nothing at all
b. Just posing
c. Just relaxing
d. Altering his nasal cycle

17. Mechanism of Nasal Cycle
• Pattern of nasal dominance altered by:
– use of Yoga danda
– pressure of a crutch in axilla
– pressure on thorax while sitting & hemithorax
while lying down on the side
• Decreased airflow in ipsilateral nostril
• Increased airflow in contra lateral nostril.
• Pattern starts to change in a min, equalizes in both
nostrils about 4th min and reaches peak in 17 min
with crutch and 11 min by lateral recumbence.

18. • Nasal cycle is dependent upon tonic activity of limbic
autonomic nervous system, levels of circulating
catecholamines and other neuro-hormones.
• Nasal congestion correlates with low sympathetic &
high parasympathetic activity (Vinod Deshmukh).
• Decongestion is related to high sympathetic & low
parasympathetic activity mode (Vinod Deshmukh).
• Compression of hemithorax from any surface lateral,
anterior, posterior or superior leads to congestion of
ipsilateral nostril with simultaneous decongestion of
opposite nostril (Virendra Singh).

19. • Keuning demonstrated that anaesthetizing nose or
the larynx does not influence nasal cycle but that
nasal cycle is absent after cervical sympathetic
denervation and laryngectomy.
• Mitti Mohan and Eccles showed that airflow in
patent and congested nostrils caused reflex
congestion of patent nostril.
• Eccles also proposed that hypothalamus was the
centre for sympathetic effects on nasal mucosa and
nasal cycle.

20. pressure on the hemithorax
Stimulation of skin
receptors
HYPOTHALAMUS
Inhibition of sympathetic and
stimulation of para sympathetic
nerves to same side nostril
Stimulation of sympathetic and
inhibition of parasympathetic nerves
to opposite side nostril
Increased congestion of same
side nostril
Decreased congestion of opposite
nostril
Reduced patency of same side nostril Increased patency of opposite nostril
pressure in the axilla
Stimulation of brachial plexus and
soft tissues around shoulder
Superior cervical ganglion

21. Ajna Chakra
Centre of intuition

22. Research in Swara Yoga
Yogic UNB / ANB pranayama techniques have
captured the imagination of researchers worldwide
and recent studies have reported differential
physiological and psychological effects including :
– O2 consumption,
– metabolism and body weight,
– blood glucose,
– involuntary blink rates and intraocular pressure,
– heart rate and heart rate variability,
– stroke volume and end diastolic volume
– galvanic skin resistance,
– digit pulse volume, and blood pressure .

23. Uninostril / alternate nostril
pranayamas
Suryanadi asana Chandranadi asana

24. Forced UN / AN breathing
Surya nadi/ bhedana
• activity phase of BRAC*
• activates SNS
• increases O2
consumption
• increases metabolism
• corrects low BP
• increases HR
• increases body temp.
Chandra nadi/ bhedana
• rest phase of BRAC*
• reduces SNS activity
• increases GSR
• lowers blood sugar
• decreases BP
* BRAC- Basic Rest Activity Cycle
~ 90 (80–120) min

25. Some interesting observations in Swara Yoga :
– Major meals and bathing should be in solar swara.
– Articles of hot potency should be taken in the lunar swara.
– Articles of cold potency should be taken in solar swara.
– One should go to sleep in the solar swara.
– If a person has headache, cold, hypertension, acidity or
asthmatic attack, change of the swara pattern artificially to
opposite swara may benefit and give relief within an hour.
– If male partner has solar swara and female partner has
lunar swara during coitus, then the child conceived will be
male. The converse would beget a female child
– Indulgence in coitus during flow of same swara of both
partners will not result in pregnancy.

26. Potential Therapeutic Applications
Surya nadi/ bhedana
• Hypothyroidism
• Obesity
• Depression
• Narcolepsy
• Bronchial asthma
• COPD
• Sinusitis
• Cold intolerance
Chandra nadi/ bhedana
• Stress
• Hypertension
• Anxiety
• Diabetes mellitus
• Insomnia
• Hyperthyroidism
• Underweight
• Heat intolerance

27. So, what swara would you
now choose ?
• To help digest food better?
• If you wish to relax?
• If you need to be active?
• To reduce BP/ HR?
• To loose weight?
• For meditation?

28. So, what swara would you
now choose ?
• To help digest food better? SURYA (right)
• If you wish to relax? CHANDRA (left)
• If you need to be active? SURYA (right)
• To reduce BP/ HR? CHANDRA (left)
• To loose weight? SURYA (right)
• For meditation? SUSHUMNA (both)

29. References
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31. Accredited with ‘A’ grade by NAAC