SKY Breath Meditation for Stress and Well‑being in College Students

Breath of Resilience: Evaluating the Impact of SKY Breath Meditation on Stress, Well-being, and Connection in College Students - A Pilot Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial

This eight-week program will test whether SKY breath meditation helps university students lower stress and anxiety and improve overall well-being compared with general yoga.

Quick facts

• Phase: NA
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 53 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa (other)
• Locations: 1 site (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
• Trial ID: NCT07415460 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This randomized pilot will assign 56 undergraduate and graduate students to either an eight-week SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) breathwork program or a control group using self-paced online yoga without breathwork. The SKY group begins with a three-day in-person retreat, followed by weekly virtual sessions and independent home practice, while controls receive online videos and occasional check-ins. Primary outcomes are feasibility measures (recruitment, retention, and adherence) and secondary outcomes include changes in physical activity, perceived stress (PSS), anxiety (GAD-7), resilience, social connectedness, and cognitive focus measured with validated questionnaires at baseline and post-intervention. Data will be analyzed using intent-to-treat methods to inform the design of future, larger trials.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal participants are enrolled undergraduate or graduate students aged 18 or older at the University of Alabama who can attend a three-day in-person retreat in Tuscaloosa and commit to twice-weekly online sessions for eight weeks.

Not a fit: Students with serious psychiatric conditions, those in acute psychiatric crisis (such as active suicidal ideation), or with medical contraindications to breathwork or light physical activity are unlikely to benefit and are excluded.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, SKY could offer a low‑risk, scalable approach to reduce stress and anxiety and boost resilience and social connectedness among university students.

How similar studies have performed: Prior trials of SKY and other breath-based practices have reported reductions in stress and anxiety in diverse adult samples, though high-quality evidence specifically in college populations is limited.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Participants must:

  1. be currently enrolled as undergraduate or graduate students at the university in Alabama;
  2. be at least 18 years old;
  3. speak and read English;
  4. be available to attend a 3-day in-person retreat and twice-weekly online sessions for SKY breath program over 8 weeks;
  5. be able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Participants will be excluded if they:

  1. have a serious psychiatric condition (e.g., schizophrenia, psychotic disorders) that could be exacerbated by group-based interventions;
  2. are in acute psychiatric crisis; such as, active suicidal ideation
  3. have acute medical conditions that contraindicate light physical activity or breathwork;
  4. are unable to obtain physician clearance for participation due to chronic conditions (e.g., uncontrolled asthma, severe cardiovascular disease, active psychiatric illness requiring intensive treatment).

Where this trial is running

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

• University of Alabama — Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Sree K Patiballa, PhD

Conditions: Stress, Anxiety, Physical Activity, SKY Breath Meditation, perceived stress scale, GAD-7, IPAQ-short form