Abstract
BackgroundChronic work-related stress is an independent risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases and associated mortality, particularly when compounded by a sedentary work environment. The purpose of this study was to determine if an office worksite-based hatha yoga program could improve physiological stress, evaluated via heart rate variability (HRV), and associated health-related outcomes in a cohort of office workers.MethodsThirty-seven adults employed in university-based office positions were randomized upon the completion of baseline testing to an experimental or control group. The experimental group completed a 10-week yoga program prescribed three sessions per week during lunch hour (50 min per session). An experienced instructor led the sessions, which emphasized asanas (postures) and vinyasa (exercises). The primary outcome was the high frequency (HF) power component of HRV. Secondary outcomes included additional HRV parameters, musculoskeletal fitness (i.e. push-up, side-bridge, and sit & reach tests) and psychological indices (i.e. state and trait anxiety, quality of life and job satisfaction).ResultsAll measures of HRV failed to change in the experimental group versus the control group, except that the experimental group significantly increased LF:HF (p = 0.04) and reduced pNN50 (p = 0.04) versus control, contrary to our hypotheses. Flexibility, evaluated via sit & reach test increased in the experimental group versus the control group (p < 0.001). No other adaptations were noted. Post hoc analysis comparing participants who completed ≥70% of yoga sessions (n = 11) to control (n = 19) yielded the same findings, except that the high adherers also reduced state anxiety (p = 0.02) and RMSSD (p = 0.05), and tended to improve the push-up test (p = 0.07) versus control.ConclusionsA 10-week hatha yoga intervention delivered at the office worksite during lunch hour did not improve HF power or other HRV parameters. However, improvements in flexibility, state anxiety and musculoskeletal fitness were noted with high adherence. Future investigations should incorporate strategies to promote adherence, involve more frequent and longer durations of yoga training, and enrol cohorts who suffer from higher levels of work-related stress.Trial registrationACTRN12611000536965
Highlights
Chronic work-related stress is an independent risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases and associated mortality, when compounded by a sedentary work environment
This study evaluated the effect of an office worksite-based hatha yoga program on heart rate variability (HRV) and related outcomes in a cohort of office workers
The findings suggest that hatha yoga prescribed three sessions per week during lunch hour (50 min/session) for 10 weeks is insufficient to improve vagal tone reflected via high frequency (HF) power and related HRV measures
Summary
Chronic work-related stress is an independent risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases and associated mortality, when compounded by a sedentary work environment. Epidemiological investigations have consistently shown that chronic work-related stress can increase the risk of cardiometabolic diseases by as much as 50% [1,2]. This link between stress and disease is influenced by autonomic imbalance [3] implicating an overactive or dysregulated sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and hypothalamuspituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis [4,5]. Participation in hatha yoga has increased markedly in the West in recent decades [8] and empirical investigations have shown that several weeks to months of training can improve markers of physical fitness [9], musculoskeletal pain [10], psychological stress (i.e. depression, anxiety) [11], and health-related quality of life (QoL) [12]. Many of the benefits of hatha yoga training are relevant to sedentary office workers
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