SKY Breath Meditation for Mental Health

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Ritu Aneja, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Must not be taking: Lithium

Disqualifiers: Dementia, Hypertension, Cancer, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 13

45 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this pilot SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) Breath Meditation study is to establish feasibility and acceptability of the intervention; and investigate preliminary effectiveness of the intervention at the DNA methylation, RNA and protein levels in blood samples collected from participants before and after the 8 week SKY intervention. Primary outcomes also include preliminary effectiveness at the physiological level using a wearable device used for continuous monitoring. Secondary outcome measures include behavioral inventories.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for healthy adults over 21 who can understand English at a 5th-grade level and commit to follow-up sessions of SKY Breath Meditation. It's not for those underweight or obese, recent surgery patients, pregnant women, heavy drinkers, smokers, regular meditators, or with certain medical/psychiatric conditions.

Inclusion Criteria

Minimum 5th grade equivalent competency in English

I am over 21 and willing to follow the study's requirements.

I agree to complete all weekly follow-up sessions for SKY Breath practice.

Exclusion Criteria

Heavy alcohol drinker (per CDC definition, 8 or more drinks per week for women, 15 or more drinks per week for men)

I have not had major surgery in the last 3 months.

I am currently taking lithium or medication that contains lithium.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

Up to 1 year

Pre-Intervention Assessment

Participants complete behavioral questionnaires and provide blood samples for biological assays

Up to 2 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

SKY Intervention

Participants attend in-person SKY sessions over three consecutive days, including breathwork, emotional resilience training, yoga, and leadership skills

3 days

3 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants engage in daily remote SKY sessions and weekly in-person reinforcement sessions, with continuous physiological monitoring and logging of practice engagement

8 weeks

8 visits (in-person), daily remote sessions

Post-Intervention Assessment

Participants provide a third blood sample and complete a post-intervention questionnaire

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Health Enhancement Program
• SKY Breath Meditation

Trial Overview The study tests how SKY Breath Meditation affects DNA methylation in blood samples before and after the practice. It also looks at changes in behavior, gene expression patterns (transcriptomics), protein levels (proteomics), and physiological responses.

Participant Groups

Group I: SKY Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

In-person SKY sessions will be 3 hours long on each of 3 consecutive days, and participants must be willing to attend all 3 sessions. Each session comprises a combination of breathwork, emotional resilience training, yoga, and leadership skills. The SKY technique includes a unique set of standardized breathing techniques to rapidly reduce neuroendocrine stress responses and the autonomic imbalance due to sympathetic overdrive. 8 weeks of online and/or in-person sessions will be delivered to participants in the follow-up period after the initial in-person intervention. They will receive intermittent reminders about their daily practice during the 8-week follow-up period. The participants will be asked to engage in daily 30 minute SKY sessions remotely, that is led by an instructor. Each participant will be required to log in the number of times a week they practice. In addition, weekly 60-minute reinforcement sessions will be conducted, in-person.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Waitlist control participants will not be provided any intervention. However, they will have the same schedule for data and biological specimen collection as the SKY intervention participants. They will be provided an opportunity to take the SKY retreat free of charge at the end of the follow up period.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,677

Recruited

2,458,000+

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Collaborator

Trials

3,107

Recruited

1,813,000+

Loma Linda University

Collaborator

Trials

322

Recruited

267,000+