Effect of yoga-based and forced uninostril breathing on the autonomic nervous system.

Some reports have described the effects of forced uninostril breathing on autonomic activity as sex-specific, while other reports described selective effects of breathing through a specific nostril on the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system, irrespective of sex. There are also yoga breathing techniques which involve voluntary uninostril breathing. These techniques also influenced the autonomic activity based on the patent nostril rather than sex. These descriptions were in line with experiential observations of the ancient sages described in classical yoga texts. This paper summarizes these perspectives on uninostril breathing.