This before–and–after type of study (without controls) was conducted at a teaching hospital in Western India to study of effect of pranayam on breath holding in healthy young adults, of either gender. After explaining the study to the prospective participants and obtaining their written informed consent, baseline information of participants, including pre–test values of breath holding time, was recorded. After eight weeks of pranayam exercises, post–test values were obtained. The mean age of the female participants (n=30) was 18.60 +/– 0.72 years while that for males (n=30) was 18.80 +/– 0.76 years. The pre– and post–pranayam differences in pulse rate and oxygen saturation were not significant, but that for breath holding time was highly significant for both females (paired t–value=10.617; df=58; p<0.0001) and males (paired t–value=6.751; df=58; p<0.0001). Pranayam is a non–pharmacological method and may be used as an adjunct in treatment of lung diseases with impaired pulmonary functions.