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Patricia L. Gerbarg

2 papers in the library · 748 citations · publishing 2005-2009

Papers

Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II—Clinical Applications and Guidelines

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine August 1, 2005 Richard P. Brown, Patricia L. Gerbarg 470 citations

Yogic breathing, particularly Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY), offers a low-cost, low-risk adjunct treatment for stress, anxiety, PTSD, depression, stress-related medical illnesses, substance abuse, and criminal offender rehabilitation. Evidence supports its use as a public health intervention to alleviate PTSD in mass disaster survivors. Yoga techniques improve well-being, mood, attention, mental focus, and stress tolerance. Proper daily practice of 30 minutes with a skilled teacher maximizes benefits, and health care providers should encourage patients to maintain their yoga practices.

Yoga Breathing, Meditation, and Longevity

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences August 1, 2009 Richard P. Brown, Patricia L. Gerbarg 278 citations

Yoga breathing (pranayama) is a core practice in Indo-Tibetan traditions that can quickly bring the mind to the present moment and reduce stress. This review examines how breath work influences longevity mechanisms, with effects that both overlap with and differ from meditation, while synergistically enhancing meditation's benefits. Clinical evidence supports yoga breathing for treating depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and victims of mass disasters. By inducing stress resilience, breath work offers a rapid and compassionate way to relieve many forms of suffering.