Impact of a six -week Pranayama Intervention on Lifestyle and Perceived Stress in Middle Aged Working Women across different socioeconomic sectors: A Mixed-Methods Comparative Study

Abstract

This mixed methods study is investigating the efficacy of a six-week pranayama intervention. The practices in focus are Nadi Shodhana and Bhramari. The demographic in focus is 40 middleaged working women (40-55 years) across two socioeconomic sections. Chronic stress for this population was driven by the interaction of occupational demand, domestic labour and perimenopausal changes. The current research often overlooks the structural barriers which affect the maintenance of the practice. Quantitative results showed significant improvements across all primary outcomes, including a 35% reduction in perceived stress (p < .001), a 49.8% improvement in sleep quality (p < .001), and enhanced coping strategies. But mixed ANOVA results indicated significant Time × SES interactions. High SES women gained better quality of life (p = .008) and greater problem-focused coping (p < .001). The qualitative thematic analysis further supports these disparities by bringing to light notions like “Structured erasure of self” along with lack of designated time in the low SES group for pranayama practice. . Pranayama is acutely and biologically effective for all. By making that room available at the workplace through policy and equitable redistribution of domestic labour, pranayama can become a genuine intervention not just for physiological benefits but a privilege at a more social level.