Silent Power of the Breath: Glycemic and Blood Pressure Control in Type 2 Diabetes
Mohammed Sahad, Giriyapura Rudrappa GireeshObjectives
The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of sitting breathing exercises on glycaemic control and selected biophysiological parameters among patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).
Material and Methods
A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test control group study was conducted among 60 patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Mangaluru. Participants were selected using non-probability purposive sampling and allocated to intervention (n = 30) and control (n = 30) groups. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), random blood sugar (RBS), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse rate, and respiratory rate were assessed on Day 1 (pre-test) and Days 3, 5, and 7 (post-tests). Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including repeated measures ANOVA and independent t-tests.
Results
The intervention group demonstrated statistically significant improvements in all assessed bio-physiological parameters over the intervention period (p <0.001). Mean FBS decreased from 116.27 mg/dL at baseline to 96.63 mg/dL on Day 7, while mean SBP decreased from 121.67 mmHg to 108.00 mmHg. Significant improvements were also observed in RBS, DBP, pulse rate, and respiratory rate. No significant changes were observed in the control group.
Conclusion
Sitting breathing exercises appear to be an effective, low-cost, and non-invasive intervention for improving glycemic control and selected biophysiological parameters among patients with T2DM. Incorporating breathing exercises into routine diabetes management may support improved physiological outcomes.