Abstract
Uncertainty about Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and resulting lockdown caused widespread panic, stress, and anxiety. Yoga is a known practice that reduces stress and anxiety and may enhance immunity. This study aimed to (1) investigate that including Yoga in daily routine is beneficial for physical and mental health, and (2) to evaluate lifestyle of Yoga practitioners that may be instrumental in coping with stress associated with lockdown. This is a pan-India cross-sectional survey study, which was conducted during the lockdown. A self-rated scale, COVID Health Assessment Scale (CHAS), was designed by 11 experts in 3 Delphi rounds (Content valid ratio = 0.85) to evaluate the physical health, mental health, lifestyle, and coping skills of the individuals. The survey was made available digitally using Google forms and collected 23,760 CHAS responses. There were 23,290 valid responses (98%). After the study's inclusion and exclusion criteria of yogic practices, the respondents were categorized into the Yoga (n = 9,840) and Non-Yoga (n = 3,377) groups, who actively practiced Yoga during the lockdown in India. The statistical analyses were performed running logistic and multinomial regression and calculating odds ratio estimation using R software version 4.0.0. The non-Yoga group was more likely to use substances and unhealthy food and less likely to have good quality sleep. Yoga practitioners reported good physical ability and endurance. Yoga group also showed less anxiety, stress, fear, and having better coping strategies than the non-Yoga group. The Yoga group displayed striking and superior ability to cope with stress and anxiety associated with lockdown and COVID-19. In the Yoga group, participants performing meditation reportedly had relatively better mental health. Yoga may lead to risk reduction of COVID-19 by decreasing stress and improving immunity if specific yoga protocols are implemented through a global public health initiative.
Highlights
WHO declared Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), originating from Wuhan, China, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2), as a pandemic on March 11, 2020
Our data revealed that the percentage of employed and professional participants was higher in both groups, with 44.1% in non-Yoga and 40.4% in Yoga
We found that the non-working participants were fewer in the non-Yoga group (36.5 vs. 43.9%)
Summary
WHO declared Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), originating from Wuhan, China, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2), as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. People were restricted from remaining outdoors with certain exceptions resulting from emergencies. India imposed the world’s most extensive lockdown on March 23, 2020 [1]. The uncertainty of the disease’s contagious nature among the public and healthcare workers led to fear, panic, anxiety, and stress. Stress intensified among those with chronic illnesses, as susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 were associated with co-morbidities [2,3,4]. Global infodemic and fake news exasperated anxiety and stress among the general public [5, 6]
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