Meditation Techniques Research Articles

Methods of training free style wrestlers with the improvement of individual mental characteristics

The article examines the problem of training freestyle wrestlers, taking into account the individual characteristics of the psyche at the pre-competitive stage of training. Freestyle athletes aged 15-17 in the number of 32 people participating in the research participated in the sports section of the public organization "SKVB "Kolisey"" in Kharkiv. The mental status of the wrestlers was determined using the computer technology "D&K-TEST". An experimental method of training freestyle wrestlers is presented, taking into account the individual properties of the psyche. The methodology includes determining the types of temperament of freestyle wrestlers, characterizing the psychological status, methods of psychoregulation, stages of formation of a state of mental readiness, and pedagogical techniques used to implement methods of psychoregulation. The effectiveness of the technique is confirmed by the study of the state of mental readiness, personal and situational anxiety, psycho-emotional state and the effectiveness of the competitive activity of wrestlers. Four groups of athletes are defined: strong mobile sanguino-cholerics, strong inert (phlegmato- choleric), weak inert (melancholic) and strong and weak inert (sanguino-choleric). As part of the experimental methodology, self- training was offered to all wrestlers, which included the stages, content and dosage of the basic formulas of self-training. In order to improve the emotional state of wrestlers before competitions and between bouts, meditation and breathing techniques were used for sanguine-choleric and phlegmatic-choleric patients. Self-suggestion methods were used to regulate the mental state of melancholics. For all athletes, attention was focused on increasing individual motivation and personal responsibility for future sports results, psychological relief measures were included.

Effects of mindfulness and meditation techniques on mental health of Emergency Department healthcare workers: a systematic review

Background: Working in the Emergency Department (ED) is linked to mental health effects, such as stress and burnout. Meditation and mindfulness are seen as ways of reducing the frequency and intensity of these issues. Objectives: To evaluate if meditation and mindfulness reduce the frequency of negative mental health outcomes among ED Healthcare Workers. Methods: We included studies in English which analyzed interventions using meditation or mindfulness and ED staff’s mental health outcomes. PubMed, SciELO and LILACS were used as databases. Results: 8 studies were included. Meditation techniques and outcomes evaluated were heterogeneous. Interventions were associated with reduced burnout, emotional exhaustion, or increased job satisfaction. Discussion: This study indicates that meditation and mindfulness decrease frequency and intensity of negative mental health outcomes among professionals in the ED. This review has limitations: some studies have methodological problems and limitations such as small sample size; measurements of outcomes were heterogeneous, and results are not always concordant. Studies with higher sample sizes and stricter methodology are needed for us to achieve conclusions about the effectiveness of these interventions.

Improving the mental health and well-being of healthcare providers using the transcendental meditation technique during the COVID-19 pandemic: A parallel population study.

Frontline Healthcare provider (HCP) burnout has dramatically increased due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Hospitals are supporting wellness programs and techniques to reduce burnout including the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique. This study evaluated the use of TM on HCP symptoms of stress, burnout and wellness. A total of 65 HCPs at three South Florida hospitals were recruited and instructed in the TM technique which they practiced at home for 20 minutes twice a day. A parallel lifestyle as usual control group was enrolled. Validated measurement scales (Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey [MBI-HSS (MP)] and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale (WEMWBS) were administered at baseline, 2 weeks, one and three months. No significant demographic differences were seen between the 2 groups; however, some baseline scales were higher in the TM group. TM average weekly session completion rate was very high at 83%. After 2-weeks, symptoms of somatization, depression, and anxiety in the TM group had all shown near 45% reductions, while insomnia, emotional exhaustion, and well-being had improved by 33%, 16%, and 11% respectively (P = 0.02 for somatization and < .001 for all others); no significant change was noted in the LAU group. At 3-months, in the TM group, the improvement in symptoms showed a mean reduction of in anxiety, 62%, somatization, 58%, depression, 50%, insomnia, 44%, emotional exhaustion 40%, depersonalization, 42%, and improvement of well-being 18% (for all p<0.004). P-values for between-group differences in change from baseline, based upon repeated measures ANCOVA covarying for baseline measurements, showed significance for all scales at 3-months. The study confirmed the reported significant and rapid benefits of the practice of TM and demonstrated its positive psychological impact on healthcare workers in a high stress setting.

Successful Implementation of Yoga and Naturopathy Interventions for Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients in Tamil Nadu

We read the article by Deepak and Rao on Yoga and Meditation presenting an adjunct interventional strategy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with great interest.[1] They have proposed a unique protocol for the management of COVID-19 with various practices of yoga and meditation techniques for patients with mild and moderate symptoms. Recent findings have stated that COVID-19 infection presents a wide range of complications from asymptomatic to multiorgan failure.[2] Many initiatives toward the pandemic control have been adopted by the Government of India with the inputs from the Ministry of AYUSH and recommended AYUSH therapies as a supportive and adjuvant treatment in COVID management. In Tamil Nadu, the Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy has specifically recommended yoga and naturopathy interventions along with conventional care for COVID-19 patients.[3] This advisory was prepared by experienced yoga and naturopathy doctors who recommended various yoga practices and naturopathy therapies (hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, self-acupressure, and sunbath). In addition to that, a natural immune booster drink was also recommended to the patients. Patients admitted to the COVID care centers received yoga and naturopathy interventions by a team of yoga and naturopathy doctors on daily basis. Videos regarding the same interventions were also shared for learning and self-practice. The main objective of these interventions was to promote the psychological wellbeing of the patients. A recent study on 100 COVID-19 patients (asymptomatic, mild, and moderate) with yoga and naturopathy interventions showed significant improvement in stress, anxiety, depression, and quality of sleep after 2 weeks.[4] Till date, more than 10 lakh patients have successfully undergone these interventions across 184 COVID care centers in Tamil Nadu. Out of which, ten dedicated centers have successfully treated more than 10,000 patients without any adverse events. In addition, these interventions were given to the patients in home isolation through teleconsultation under the scheme called “AMMA Covid-19 Homecare” and “E-Sanjeevani”. Under this scheme, dedicated yoga and naturopathy doctors rendered 24 × 7 service through telephonic conversation and guided more than 1,000 patients for better management. Patients who received our treatments revealed that these interventions were the best part of their hospital stay during their treatment period and recommended them along with a conventional approach to all the institutions.[5] Successful implementation of yoga and naturopathy interventions during COVID-19 would be not possible without the cooperation from the patients and dedicated yoga and naturopathy doctors.

Yoga For Metabolic Syndrome: A Comprehensive Review

With increased urbanization and industrialization, there is an emerging global epidemic of obesity which is a forerunner of metabolic syndrome. The most significant underlying cause of the metabolic syndrome is insulin resistance and its consequences. The metabolic syndrome causes lipogenesis and fat deposition. It is one of the most important risk factors for the development of catastrophic health consequences such as coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus Type II, fatty liver, and malignant diseases. While most of these patients are treated by pharmacotherapy, there is a growing interest in studying the effectiveness of alternative therapies, including Yoga. Yoga has been practiced in India for thousands of years. Yoga, particularly Asana and Pranayama, is effective not only in improving the overall health and well-being of an individual but also reported to be effective in managing chronic medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. Various studies have found Yoga to be not only preventive but also of therapeutic value. Yoga not only has physical elements but also consists of breathing techniques, mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation techniques; hence it not only strengthens the body (secondary to physical exercise) but also positively impacts the psychosocial well-being of individuals practicing Yoga regularly. We undertook this review to determine the effectiveness of Yoga in patients with metabolic syndrome and to know whether Yoga has therapeutic benefits in patients with metabolic syndrome. Moreover, an attempt was also made to determine whether there was a significant reduction in the risk of secondary cardiovascular complications in these patients.

EFFECT OF CONCENTRATIVE MEDITATION ON REACTION ABILITY

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of meditation on reaction ability. Meditation is a practice in which an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of consciousness, either to realize some benefit or as an end in itself. Psychomotor abilities were always considered to be the foundation for technical skill and tactical ability in any given sports. Despite its popularity, little is known about the neural mechanisms by which meditation works, several electroencephalogram (EEG) studies have reported changes in spectral and frequency analysis during meditation inspired by techniques that focus on concentration. FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) was used to analysis investigate the composition of an EEG signal. Since the FFT transforms a signal from the time domain into the frequency domain, frequency distributions of the EEG was observed. With this understanding this research study was conceptualized to investigate effect of concentrative meditation on reaction ability. Fifty students were randomly selected as the subjects for the study. The age of the subjects ranged from 21 to 30 years. The subjects were assigned at random to experimental and control group each group consisting of twenty five students. The study was conducted for a period of eight weeks. The study examined EEG changes during meditation. The investigational paradigm involved 15-20 minutes of meditation, where the subjects were asked to close their eyes and adopt their normal meditation. Two groups comprising of twenty five subjects each were formed i.e. experimental Group and control group. The experimental group was given meditation in the morning session time and no meditational training was given to control group. Each subject of Experimental group was learning concentrative Meditation. Electroencephalogram (EEG) and psychomotor variables used to collect the data before and after meditational training to measure the effect of meditation. These results suggest that meditation provides no improvement in reaction ability. EEG findings from this study suggest that concentrative meditation techniques improves theta and alpha EEG patterns significantly. Key Words: Reaction Ability, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Electroencephalogram.

Person-Centered Mindfulness: A Culturally and Spiritually Sensitive Approach to Clinical Practice.

Mindfulness meditation is rapidly being integrated into many different forms of counseling and psychotherapy, and there is a growing evidence base for its effectiveness. It is important to understand the spiritual roots of mindfulness, and to apply it in a patient-centered manner, sensitive to the patient's own faith tradition rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, assuming that mindfulness-based practice is a purely secular approach. The philosophical underpinning of mindfulness lies squarely in the Buddhist faith tradition. Indeed, mindfulness is the 7th step on the Eightfold Path, which is the heart of Buddhist teachings. Many practitioners, however, may not realize that there are Western meditative techniques that are very similar to mindfulness and that have deep roots within Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faith traditions. Patient-centered mindfulness involves the use of mindfulness and other meditation methods that are based on the patient's own faith tradition, rather than applying Eastern forms of mindfulness claiming these are a secular approach appropriate for everyone regardless of religious beliefs, even if those beliefs are not consistent with the Buddhist religious or philosophical approach. In this article, I briefly examine the evidence for the clinical effectiveness of mindfulness meditation, and then go into greater depth on Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim forms of mindfulness or similar meditative practices, providing resources that will better equip clinicians and researchers to provide patient-centered culturally-sensitive care.

A moment of peace: Utilizing practical on the job relaxation and meditation techniques to improve feelings of stress and burnout among healthcare professionals

Few career paths are as mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting as a career in healthcare. Due to the nature of the job responsibilities, healthcare professionals often sacrifice their own wellbeing for the sake of their patients. The COVID-19 pandemic has asked an even greater sacrifice from healthcare professionals and continues today with little end in sight. The majority of healthcare workers report that stress has a negative impact on their work, which can ultimately manifest in poor patient outcomes and decreased work satisfaction. As stewards of wellbeing, it is imperative that healthcare professionals prioritize self-care and find their own individualized way(s) to manage stress. Building resilience, which is the ability to adapt to traumatic or adverse events in a positive manner, can help decrease anxiety, depression, and burnout. Resilience also helps healthcare professionals re-establish meaning in both their professional and personal lives, and has been proven to improve patient safety and job satisfaction. Complementary and integrative modalities treat the whole person by focusing on the physical, emotional, social, economic, and spiritual needs of the individual. Techniques such as meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, 4-7-8 breathwork, acupressure, aromatherapy, and Jin Shin Jyutsu have been used with great success in the workplace setting to help build resilience. Such techniques offer options for stress reduction and can decrease feelings of work-related burnout. These techniques can be used in real time at the moment of a stressful event. They may also help reduce stress when used prior to, or at the end of a workday. Consistent practice can reduce the feelings of stress that contribute to compassion fatigue and burnout. These integrative health modalities do not require any additional tools or extensive training. They are easy to learn and perform, and can be easily incorporated into a daily practice to encourage stress reduction and promote wellbeing.

Change in Time Perception Following the Place of Pre-Existence Technique.

Time perception is closely related to spatial and bodily perception, yet little is known about how this interrelationship is impacted by meditation and biological sex. To examine this, we studied the effects of a stepwise application of three meditation techniques, from focused attention, to open monitoring to non-dual meditation, encompassed in the Place of Pre-Existence technique (PPEt) on the subjective perception of time, space and body using a pre-post research design. A total of 280 participants (mean age = 47.09 years; SD = 10.13; 127:153 males to females) completed the Subjective Time, Self, Space inventory before and after PPEt. Following PPEt, participants perceived time passing as slowing down, while time intensity, relaxation, 'awareness of space' and 'awareness of body' increased, suggesting heightened mindfulness to these constructs following the training. Awareness of space revealed to be modulated by biological sex and meditation expertise, with males showing a decrease of spatial awareness as a function of meditation expertise while females showed an opposite pattern. The speed and intensity of the experience of time both correlated with body and space awareness. In line with previous studies demonstrating a connection between relaxation and perception of time, a significant correlation was found between relaxation and the subjective experience of the intensity of time. The current results are discussed in the context of the embodied experience of time, and the Sphere Model of Consciousness.

Effects of Transcendental Meditation on Academic Physician Burnout and Depression: A Mixed Methods Randomized Controlled Trial.

Burnout is pervasive among physicians and has widespread implications for individuals and institutions. This research study examines, for the first time, the effects of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique on academic physician burnout and depression. A mixed methods randomized controlled trial was conducted with 40 academic physicians representing 15 specialties at a medical school and affiliated VA hospital using the TM technique as the active intervention. Physicians were measured at baseline, 1 month, and 4 months using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Insomnia Severity Index, Perceived Stress Scale, and Brief Resilience Scale. Repeated measures analysis of covariance was used to assess adjusted mean change scores for the 1- and 4-months posttests. Qualitative interviews were conducted at baseline and 4 months and compared with the quantitative measurements. Significant improvements were found for the TM group compared with controls at 4 months in total burnout ( p = .020) including the Maslach Burnout Inventory dimensions of emotional exhaustion ( p = .042) and personal accomplishment ( p = .018) and depression ( p = .016). Qualitative interviews supported quantitative outcomes. Physicians reported classic burnout and depression symptoms in baseline interviews. Those regularly practicing the TM technique reported relief from those symptoms. The control group did not state similar changes. Mixed methods findings suggest the TM technique is a viable and effective intervention to decrease burnout and depression for academic physicians. Larger longitudinal studies with a wider range of health care providers are needed to validate these findings for extrapolation to the greater medical community.

Heart rate variability during mindful breathing meditation.

We discuss Heart Rate Variability (HRV) measured during mindful breathing meditation. We provide a pedagogical computation of two commonly used heart rate variability metrics, i.e. the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) and the standard deviation of RR intervals (SDRR), in terms of Fourier components. It is shown that the root mean square of successive differences preferentially weights higher frequency Fourier modes, making it unsuitable as a biosignal for mindful breathing meditation which encourages slow breathing. We propose a new metric called the autonomic balance index (ABI) which uses Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia to quantify the fraction of heart rate variability contributed by the parasympathetic nervous system. We apply this metric to heart rate variability data collected during two different meditation techniques, and show that the autonomic balance index is significantly elevated during mindful breathing, making it a good signal for biofeedback during meditation sessions.

IMPACT OF MINDFULNESS: A PERSPECTIVE OF TEACHERS OF DOE

The department of education (DoE) of the government of NCT of Delhi (GNCT of Delhi) introduced Happiness Curriculum and Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum (EMC) in all government schools in 2019 for classes Nursery to VIII, and IX to XII respectively. Both curriculums have a strong component, Mindfulness; the state of being conscious or aware of the present moment. This is an ancient technique of meditation that somewhat differs from meditation and was discovered by Gautam Buddha more than 2500 years ago. The sole purpose of this component in both the curriculum is to teach the students to ensure harmony within their inner self, discover their self in the process of learning, and grow their self to achieve sustainable happiness from momentary happiness. To know the impact of mindfulness in students’ lives in the offline and online mode of teaching, an online survey was conducted by the State Council of Education Research and Teaching (SCERT), New Delhi among the students, teachers, and parents of DoE. This study presents the analysis with the help of statistical techniques such as mean, median, and mode of the teachers’ observations through the questionnaire on the impact of mindfulness on the students’ behavior and their learning process. More than 1400 teachers who are teaching approximately 70 thousand students participated in this survey. The insights drawn from this analysis are discussed in detail in the result section of the study which shows the positive and effective impact of mindfulness on students’ behavior and their learning process.

Effect of ‘Meditation technique’ on work performance and work of head of departments at a dedicated COVID-19 tertiary care hospital: A prospective, interventional, single blind, randomized control study

Mindfulness-based programs were shown to promote relaxation, and improve work performance. We evaluated the effect of an indigenous meditation technique in the work performance of Heads of Departments (HODs) in our institute. We carried out a prospective, interventional, single centre, single blinded, randomized controlled, study to evaluate the effect of meditation technique on work performance and acceptability (among employees) of HODs working in a dedicated COVID-19 tertiary care hospital. We also recruited employees from each of the Departments for obtaining their feedback. A validated feedback evaluation questionnaire was used for assessing the outcomes at baseline, and on days 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.Twenty HODs of either gender aged between 36 to 58 Years, with atleast 5 years of experience as Heads leading the respective teams were recruited. One-hundred employees aged between 21 to 58 years reporting at least for one year reporting to those HODs were recruited. The mean (SD) feedback score of the employees in the control arm was 22.98(7.2) while in the interventional arm, it was 21.82 (6.4) and was not statistically significant (p=0.28). On all the follow-up days, the scores were significantly higher in the interventional group compared to control arm. Similarly, in the interventional group, the scores were significantly higher on all the follow-up days compared to baseline while it was not statistically significant in the control group. We observed a significant improvement in the work performance of HODs as evaluated by their respective employees through the meditation technique that consisted of breathing exercise and chanting the Studies are needed exploring the effects in different units and for long term.

Yogic breathing and meditation techniques on lung functions in healthy individuals: A pilot study

Background: Yogic breathing (i.e., pranayama) and meditation techniques (YBMT) are the most important parts of yoga. Regular practice of yoga has shown to improve pulmonary functions in healthy as well as in people with pulmonary diseases. However, studies on effectiveness of YBMT alone on lung function are lacking. Aims: To evaluate the short-term effect of YBMT on peak expiratory flow rate in healthy individuals. Settings and Design: A pilot randomized controlled study was done in a medical college hospital located in South India. Materials and Methods: Sixty healthy individuals were randomly allocated to either a study group or a control group. Study group practiced YBMT for 10 min/day for 2 weeks, while the control group was under their normal routine. Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was assessed before and after 2 weeks of intervention. Statistical Analysis: Independent t test and paired t test were conducted to compare the means of inter groups and intra-groups using SPSS, version 16. Results: A significant increase in PEFR was observed in the study group (P < 0.001), unlike the control group (P = 0.588). Moreover, a significant increase in PEFR was observed in the study group (P = 0.047) compared to the control group. Conclusion: Results suggest that YBMT might be useful in improving PEFR in healthy individuals.

Meditation for Human Mind and Brain: Findings from Functional Neuroimaging Investigations

Meditation is generally described as being in the present moment or being alert in the present moment, instead of constantly struggling to change or to become. Meditation is an essential part of Yoga philosophy and the seventh limb of Astanga Yoga described by sage Patanjali in the ancient text Patanjali Yoga Sutra. Yoga including meditation, is an ancient technique invented to unite the individual consciousness with the universal consciousness, however, scientific studies have demonstrated the vast health advantages associated with it. Mindfulness as a non-judgmental awareness of the present-moment is also a part of yoga philosophy, however, most of the mindfulness practices those are being practiced in modern days are also rooted in Buddhist philosophy. Some well-known meditation techniques are Buddhist meditations, Hindu meditations, Chinese meditations, Christian meditation, Islamic meditations, Guided meditations etc. Meditation influences brain systems involved in attention, awareness, memory, sensory integration, emotion regulation, and higher-order cognitive functions. Meditation has also been found to be very effective in relieving stress, regulating emotions and promoting mental health. A significant increase in grey matter volume was found in the meditators as compared to non-meditators. The larger grey matter volume overall, and with regional enlargement in several right hemispheric cortical and subcortical brain regions are associated with sustained attention, self-control, compassion and interoceptive perception. Several functional neuroimaging studies showed that some brain regions are recruited consistently across different meditation techniques including insula, pre/supplementary motor cortices, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and frontopolar cortex.

The effect of relaxation education intervention on stress, anxiety, and depression in female teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The high levels of job stress, anxiety, and depression among teachers, which affect their job and quality of life, necessitate using methods to cope with these issues. The present study aimed to determine the effect of relaxation education intervention on stress, anxiety, and depression in female teachers in 2020. This research is semi-experimental. Herein, 100 female teachers were studied. Data collection was performed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-42 items (DASS-42) questionnaire that was completed three times by the teachers: before the intervention, 10 days after the intervention, and 1 month following it. Relaxation education intervention was conducted online and offline based on the bioenergy economy model and by doing psychosomatic exercises. The data obtained from the questionnaire were analyzed by the independent t-test, paired t-test, and R. M. analysis of variance (ANOVA). Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of stress (P = 0.385), anxiety (P = 0.168), and depression (P = 0.554) scores. The mean scores of stress, anxiety, and depression decreased significantly in the intervention group 10 days after the intervention; however, there was no significant change in the control group. The reduction in depression, stress, and anxiety remained constant in the intervention group during the 1-month follow-up. The results indicated that among the relaxation exercises, diaphragmatic breathing and meditation techniques were performed by the teachers for a longer period than other techniques. Results obtained suggested teaching short-term relaxation techniques as highly recommended to all school teachers. These techniques include diaphragmatic breathing and meditation. They can reduce their stress, anxiety, and depression, improve their mental health, and empower them to control their tensions and negative emotions.

Meditative techniques in classical hatha yoga texts: A comparative approach

Meditative techniques in classical hatha yoga texts: A comparative approach

Effect of yoga therapy on osteoarthritis of the knee

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent chronic disease and is a leading cause of pain and disability in most countries worldwide.Objective: To see the effect of the yoga program on patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.Design: single group longitudinal pre-post study.Setting: The study was conducted on thirty patients with KOA in residential health care Centre in Hissar, Haryana, India, between the periods of September to December 2022.Participants: 30 patients in which 28 women and 2 males with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.Intervention: yoga practices intended to act physically, emotionally, Intellectually, and spiritually level and includes yoga postures, breathing exercises, internal cleansing techniques, meditation, pranayama, and relaxation techniques for one weak.Measurements: WOMAC.Results: While calculating the data with the help of SPSS 26 Version calculating significance value is 0.00 which is less than the level of significance.Conclusion: Results of this study showed a beneficial effect in reducing the cardinal symptoms of OAK. Therefore, yoga therapy can be used as an alternative and complementary therapy in OAK.

Effect of Yogic Intervention in Psychological Wellbeing (Parental Guilt, Psychological Distress, Anxiety, and Self-esteem) of Working Mothers

Background - Motherhood brings a lot of challenges especially for employed women worldwide. They face difficulties both at home and at the workplace. Eventually, they end up with emotional and psychological disturbances that lead to even compromise their career in some cases. Purpose - The objective of the study was to assess the effects of Yogic Intervention on parental guilt, psychological distress, anxiety, and self-esteem in working mothers. Methods - A sample of 39 working mothers (age 30 to 50) from different professions having symptoms of guilt, distress, and anxiety, had participated in a Randomized controlled trial pre-post experiment. They were allocated to the Yoga group (n = 22), had a 1-hour session, 5 days in a week for 1 month, and to the Control group (n = 17) with no such intervention. The measures included Guilt about Parenting Scale, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. Results - showed a significant difference in the reduction of parental guilt (p = .039), psychological distress (p = .014), and anxiety (p = .012) in the yoga group compared to the control group. In the case of self-esteem on average, the score had improved but was not significant enough. Conclusion - Regular practice of simple asanas with proper breathing, pranayamas, meditation, and relaxation techniques improve the mental and psychological health of working mothers. Further study is recommended with more sample count and a comparative study between working and non-working mothers can be executed.

An Integrated Mind–Body Training Intervention on an Elite Surfing Athlete: A Case Study

The aim of this case study was to evaluate the effects of integrated mind–body training in an elite surfing athlete. The mental training included the development of mental techniques (self-talk/internal monologue and mental imagery), mental skills (emotional regulation, state of presence, self-awareness, self-control, and self-confidence), life and performance coaching sessions (behavior improvement), and meditation and breathing techniques. The physical training consisted of “educating a conscious athlete” (he knows what he needs to do and why he is doing it); increasing muscles; perfecting the joint functions; developing physical capabilities of power, strength, and speed endurance; and exploring the same behaviors and mental skills integrated in the mind training. The athlete had his best classifications after the beginning of the intervention: third place in the Championship Tour in 2018, fourth place in 2019, second in 2021, and first in 2022, without any injuries, suspensions, or 25th-place classification in a surfing competition (the worst possible classification, which had happened in all previous years). Improvement in his behavior and lifestyle also helped the athlete realize his dreams. The result suggests that mind–body training might have contributed to his improvement and stability in the years 2018–2022.