Effect Of Om Chanting And Bhramari Pranayama On Pulmonary Function Tests In Post-COVID Medical Students Of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College And Hospital, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, India

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted respiratory health and mental well-being, particularly among healthcare students. Post-COVID individuals often experience lingering respiratory dysfunction and autonomic imbalance. Yogic breathing practices such as OM chanting and Bhramari Pranayama have shown promising effects on pulmonary function and autonomic regulation but remain underexplored in post-COVID populations, especially among medical students in rural regions like Himachal Pradesh. ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of OM chanting and Bhramari Pranayama on pulmonary function parameters in post-COVID medical students of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College and Hospital, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. Material and method A pre-post interventional study was conducted on 109 post-COVID medical students over a 30-day period. Participants performed OM chanting (10 minutes/day) and Bhramari Pranayama (5 minutes/day) under guided supervision. Pulmonary function tests, including Tidal Volume (TV), Vital Capacity (VC), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV₁), and FEV₁/FVC ratio, were measured before and after the intervention using standard spirometry. Data were analysed using paired t-tests. ResultsStatistically significant improvements were observed in FVC, FEV₁, VC, and ERV (p < 0.05). Non-significant trends were noted in IRV, IC, TV, and respiratory rate. The FEV₁/FVC ratio showed a statistically significant change but remained within the normal clinical range. These findings suggest improved ventilatory efficiency and potential autonomic benefits. ConclusionRegular practice of OM chanting and Bhramari Pranayama significantly improved pulmonary function in post-COVID medical students. These non-pharmacological, cost-effective interventions may support post-COVID recovery programs.