Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Claustrophobia, characterized by intense fear and anxiety in confined spaces, is often accompanied by dysregulated autonomic responses. Pranayama, a yogic breathing practice, has shown promising effects in reducing anxiety and enhancing emotional regulation by modulating neural circuits involved in stress response. Studies indicate that regular pranayama practice decreases state anxiety, negative affect, and improves positive emotional states while influencing brain areas like the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and insula—regions critical for emotion processing and anxiety control. It achieves this by enhancing parasympathetic activity, reducing sympathetic over activity, and promoting neuroplasticity that supports calm and attention regulation. Consequently, pranayama can be an effective complementary approach for managing claustrophobia by attenuating anxiety symptoms and supporting better autonomic and emotional balance. While further clinical trials specifically on claustrophobia remain limited, existing neurophysiological evidence highlights pranayama's potential as a non-pharmacological intervention to alleviate anxiety-related disorders including claustrophobia. ^[1]