Yoga Practice Research Articles

Effect Of Selected Yogic Practices OnReaction Time And Coordination Of Male Inter-Collegiate Level Sportsperson

Effect Of Selected Yogic Practices OnReaction Time And Coordination Of Male Inter-Collegiate Level Sportsperson

Evaluating multi-channel interaction design for enhancing Pose accuracy in yoga training among visually impaired individuals

Aim: Physical exercise is essential for the physical and mental health of visually impaired people, but they often face challenges such as inaccurate movements, lack of rhythm and difficulty in mastering postures during exercise. This project introduces an assistive device based on a multi-channel interaction design strategy to improve the accuracy of yoga practice for the visually impaired and to enable their independent exercise. Methods: The system uses a 1:1 model combined with an output interaction model. The effectiveness was verified through controlled experiments with unassisted exercise as the control group and yoga-assisted exercise as the experimental group. Improvements in yoga accuracy and product usability were verified using the Assisted Accuracy Scale and the SUS Scale, respectively. Results: The results showed that the multi-channel interaction design significantly improved the accuracy and usability of yoga exercises and enhanced the ability of visually impaired people to exercise independently. Conclusion: Through this project, we hope to replicate this design strategy to help more visually impaired individuals independently perform effective physical exercise at home, in a gym, or in an outdoor space, thereby improving their quality of life and overall health.

Can You Stop Your Mind and Your Daily Activities?

The paper investigates meditation as a state of consciousness that isolates an individual from the attitude of everyday life and the perspective of practical actions. It is an “ethnography of the mind” instead of the place. The paper analyses self-reports from meditators’ self-observations as part of hatha yoga practice and data from semi-structured interviews with hatha yoga teachers. Elements that distract or help people meditate were analysed and interpreted. The features of the meditative state during the practice of sitting meditation are also reconstructed. Attention is paid to three essential aspects that are related to each other when entering the meditative state: emerging thoughts, body sensations, and emotions. The analysis focuses on how practitioners deal with these obstacles; what tactics do they employ to eliminate barriers or redirect attention and include them in the background of the concentration point? What is the role of teaching meditation? What are the effects of meditation from a practitioner’s point of view? Empirical materials obtained from the first-person perspective of the researcher, the author of this article, and his collaborators in the study were also analysed.

Integrating Classical Yoga and Modern Psychology: Insights from Neuroimaging and AI on Mind Transformation

Yoga is traditionally understood as a holistic practice that integrates physical, mental, and spiritual development. This paper explores how classical yoga concepts align with modern psychological research, emphasizing insights gained through neuroimaging and artificial intelligence (AI). By analyzing the stages of the mind, its modifications, and psychological afflictions from both traditional and contemporary perspectives, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of yoga’s impact on mental and emotional transformation. The integration of neuroimaging techniques and AI tools offers new ways to examine and enhance the efficacy of yoga practices in promoting mental clarity and emotional well-being.

Mental Health and Yoga in Prisons

Prison environments pose substantial health risks and may adversely affect the health and wellbeing of both prisoners and staff. Drawing extensively from international literature across several disciplines and supported by empirical data, this article presents a multidisciplinary study that focuses on mental health in prison settings and examines unconventional healthcare interventions, using yoga and meditation as a case study. Despite compelling research suggesting overall positive outcomes, the idea of yoga in prisons is not fully integrated into criminal justice policy and practice, and there are gaps in prison yoga research. Recognising the multifaceted roles of yoga within correctional institutions, this article specifically explores the impact of yoga on improving the mental health of incarcerated individuals and prison personnel. The primary aim is to raise awareness about mental health challenges in prisons and underscore the healthcare benefits of implementing prison yoga programmes. Accordingly, the article provides an overview of mental health issues in prisons, assesses the potential benefits and mechanisms of yoga and meditation as alternative mental healthcare methods and explores the barriers to integrating these practices into prison healthcare. It advocates for yoga and similar practices as viable mental healthcare alternatives for both prisoners and prison staff. The article's analysis contributes to a preliminary framework for policymakers, prison managers, staff, and scholars seeking to enhance mental health outcomes in penal facilities.

Impact of Yoga on anxiety, stress and sleep quality among health care professionals during a public health crisis.

Health care professionals (HCPs) working on the frontlines of health care emergencies/pandemics often experience elevated anxiety, stress and reduced quality of sleep. Yoga is a mind-body practice that has been proven to effective in improving physical and mental health. To evaluate the effectiveness of integrated Yoga intervention on mental health measures and sleep quality among HCPs working during the COVID-19 pandemic. This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 110 HCPs, including Doctors and nursing staff, with an age range of 20 to 65 years who were recruited through a convenience sampling method and assigned to a Yoga group (n = 55) or a control group (n = 55). The Yoga group received a weekly one-hour Yoga session followed by a 30-minute self-practice three times a week at home for one month. The control group followed routine activity. Heart rate (HR), Blood Pressure, stress measures (Perceived Stress and visual analogue Scale for Stress), COVID-related anxiety, Sleep Quality, Quality of life and Preservative Thinking were assessed before and after the intervention. A significant decrease in stress measures, COVID-19-related anxiety and fear, and perseverative thinking was noticed in the Yoga group. Sleep quality and quality of life also improved significantly. The control group showed no significant change. At one month, the Yoga group showed significantly greater improvement in stress measures, COVID-19-related anxiety and fear, perseverative thinking, sleep quality and quality of life compared to the control group. Yoga practice during the public health crisis would help reduce anxiety and stress and improve sleep among HCPs. Further randomized controlled trials are warranted.

Can Trauma-Informed Yoga Center Intersectional Feminist Praxis? The Case of a UK Community Yoga Organization.

This article discusses the tensions around trauma-informed narratives and mind-body practices, which may obscure social inequalities. We present the evaluation of community yoga programs and explore how trauma-informed yoga can be part of the healing process of women subject to interlocking systems of oppression. The study showed how the sociocultural location of participants shaped their engagement with normative yoga discourses and practices. Yoga was perceived as a practice that improved the sense of healing and well-being, and created relational spaces during COVID-19. The article also discusses the value of embodied self-inquiry as an intersectional feminist tool for researchers and practitioners.

Why Practice Yoga? An Investigation of the Relationship Between Yoga Participation Motives, Sleep, and Mental Health

Yoga is a holistic health approach practiced around the world due to its benefits on one’s physical, mental, and spiritual health (Mooventhan and Niyenthiha, 2020). Many people come to the mat for a variety of reasons not limited to losing weight, increasing strength, making friends, or reducing stress (Cartwright et al., 2020). The reasons we come to the mat may influence our adherence to participating in yoga, our mental health, and our physical health. This study seeks to find whether the motivations for why someone participates in yoga are associated with quality of sleep, anxiety, and the frequency of yoga participation over 6 months.

Yoga and Mental Health Outcomes

Yoga is a popular activity enjoyed by many individuals wanting to help their stress levels, gain more mindfulness, and make other positive changes (Snaith et al., 2018). The present study aimed to access the relationship between yoga and mental health, as well as grit and frequency of yoga practice. Participants were given questionnaires at four different time points to assess their frequency of yoga, anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem, and grit. Results found no significant changes from each of the four time-points. PROCESS was used to test whether stress mediated the relationship between frequency of yoga and mental health variables. There was a significant relationship between frequency of yoga and stress which also mediated a relationship for frequency of yoga between anxiety and depression scores. These findings suggest that those who practice yoga more frequently have lower levels of perceived stress, which leads to a lowering of anxiety and depression symptoms.

Exploring the Efficacy and Mechanisms of Uddiyana Bandha in Yoga Practice: A Scientific Evidence - Based Comprehensive Study

Exploring the Efficacy and Mechanisms of Uddiyana Bandha in Yoga Practice: A Scientific Evidence - Based Comprehensive Study

The Impact of Internet Addiction on Academic Performance Among Medical Students in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study and the Potential Role of Yoga.

Excessive internet use is a growing concern globally, and internet addiction negatively impacts academic performance. Limited research has been conducted on this topic among undergraduate medical students in Bangladesh. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of internet addiction and its impact on academic performance among medical students in Bangladesh, with a focus on the role of yoga in reducing Internet addiction as a proposed intervention. A cross-sectional study was conducted among third-year medical students in four colleges in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Simple random sampling techniques were used to select participants, and data were collected using pretested questionnaires and a checklist for office records through face-to-face interviews. SPSS version 25 was used for data processing and analysis. Out of 312 students, 84% were addicted to the internet, and only 16% were normal. In total, 64.4% had good results in the first professional examination, while 35.6% had poor results. In total, 85.9% had good attendance, while 14.1% had poor attendance. The association between internet addiction level and first professional examination results and class attendance was highly significant. This study highlights the high prevalence and negative impacts of internet addiction among medical students in Bangladesh. The study suggests that promoting awareness about healthy technology use, establishing a better balance between internet usage and academic study, and encouraging the practice of yoga can help alleviate this problem. Further research and interventions are needed to tackle this emerging public health issue. Encouraging students to use the internet for academic purposes and providing education and resources can help promote healthy technology use. Healthcare professionals should also be aware of the risks and encourage seeking help if needed.

A THREE MONTHS YOGA PROGRAM ON COGNITIVE VARIABLES OF DEMENTIA RISK PARTICIPANTS: A PILOT STUDY

Background: Dementia refers to symptoms that affect memory, thinking, orientation, judgment, speech, and social abilities significantly enough to interfere with daily activities. Dementia is the second most prevalent disease worldwide. Materials & Methods: A total of thirty individuals, with an average age of 52.4 years (± 7.68 years), were enrolled and then assigned at random to either the yoga group (average age 50.9 years ± 7.23 years) or the control group (average age 52.2 years ± 7.73 years). For a duration of three months, the control group participated in brisk walking sessions lasting thirty minutes five days a week, whereas the yoga group endured sixty-minute yoga sessions five days a week. Before and after the three-month intervention period for both groups, working memory was evaluated using the N back task, and executive function was examined using the Trail Making Test (TMT). Results: A significant difference was observed in all four parameters of N back test in yoga group as compared to the control group (P < 0.05) after 12 weeks [ H1( P = 0.01), E1( P = 0.009), H2 (P = 0.0007), E2 ( P = 0.006 ]. There was improvement in the Trail Making Test, but did not observe the significant difference in the yoga group as compared to the control group ( P > 0.05), [ A ( P = 0.096), B ( P = 0.569)]. Conclusion: The result of this pilot study suggests that yoga practices for dementia risk participants improves the Hit score of the N back test and reduces errors, similarly this improves the executive functions of the brain. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Does Self-Reported Trait Mindfulness Contribute to Reducing Perceived Stress in Women Who Practice Yoga and Are Physically Active?

(1) Background: This study aimed to investigate whether yoga practice and physical activity level play an essential role in trait mindfulness and perceived stress reduction. Moreover, the study examined the differences in trait mindfulness and perceived stress between women who practiced yoga and those who engaged in other physical activities or were physically inactive, taking into account the time spent on physical activity in accordance with the World Health Organization recommendations. (2) Methods: A sample of 201 women participated in a cross-sectional online-based study, including 96 yoga practitioners and 105 non-practitioners of yoga (including physically active and inactive individuals). The average age of the participants was 36 years (range, 18-72 years; M = 36.19, SD = 11.64). Respondents completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). (3) Results: Women who practiced yoga and were physically active had a significantly higher level of trait mindfulness and lower perceived stress levels than women who did not practice yoga and were physically inactive. An indirect effect of physical activity on perceived stress through mindfulness was shown only for women practicing yoga for at least 150 min per week. (4) Conclusions: This study revealed the importance of frequent yoga practice in reducing perceived stress and improving mindfulness traits. These findings may serve as a basis for implementing preventive actions in women experiencing high levels of everyday stress.

‘Yoga is a way of life’: A qualitative study of the experiences of using yoga as a treatment for substance use: An interpretive phenomenological analysis

AbstractIntroductionYoga is a form of complementary medicine for substance use disorder (SUD). Randomised controlled trials involving yoga for the treatment of SUD have found that yoga practice reduces the risk of relapse and improves mood and well‐being for people undergoing treatment for SUD; however, the lived experience of yoga practice involving the benefits of reducing SUD is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the in‐depth experience of yoga to inform the treatment of SUD.MethodsFive semi‐structured interviews explored experiences of yoga among people with a prior history of substance use. Four out of the five participants reported prior use of alcohol, and one reported the use of ‘GBL’ and methamphetamine. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.ResultsThe analysis resulted in three final superordinate themes: (1) growing awareness of the body, mind and emotions; (2) yoga opens a positive way of life; and (3) blending the worlds of yoga and 12‐step recovery. Yoga was reported to enhance awareness of muscle tension, reduce physical stress, increase positive emotions and build tolerance to negative emotions. The integration of the eight‐limb philosophy of yoga, notably withdrawing of the senses, helped combat internal cues and triggers (negative thoughts and emotions) for relapse. Yoga was reported to be compatible with an abstinence‐based lifestyle found in 12‐step mutual aid programmes and helped extend social networks to support long‐term abstinence.ConclusionsThe experience of integrating the eight‐limb philosophy to support abstinence and the asana practice helped participants to reduce cue reactivity. Yoga appeared to enhance interoceptive awareness, which is useful for reducing physical stress related to triggers for relapse, making yogic practice a valuable tool to integrate within mainstream group and individual relapse prevention programmes. Therefore, programmes and health policymakers may want to consider treatments that integrate yogic practices to enhance and support long‐term abstinence for SUD.

Can depression severity be reduced with yoga practice?

Can depression severity be reduced with yoga practice?

A study on the effects of yogic practices on physiological variables

A study on the effects of yogic practices on physiological variables

Beneficial effects of alternative methods, with an emphasis on yoga, for patients affected by pain associated with endometriosis

Aim of the study The aim of this systematic review is to compare studies published since 2017 to evaluate whether yoga and other alternative methods should be recommended to patients with endometriosis and associated pain. As alternative methods, particularly yoga, have gained popularity in recent years, it is crucial for healthcare professionals to ensure that these approaches are scientifically valid. This systematic review examines the effects of practicing different types of yoga and possible advantages of other alternative methods that could be potentially beneficial on pain management for patients suffering form endometriosis. Methods This review synthesizes findings from twenty studies, including randomized controlled trials and observational studies. ConclusionThe results consistently indicate significant improvements in the quality of life for patients with endometriosis. Yoga, as both a physical and mental practice, appears to be beneficial in managing pain. Although there are some limitations related to study design and variability, the evidence strongly supports the benefits of yoga in managing pelvic pain. Future research should focus on identifying which specific types of yoga practices offer the greatest benefits.

The combined effect of physical exercise, pranayama, and diet on fatigue in adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a randomized controlled trial.

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy continue to experience significant fatigue, which affects their quality of life. The present study aims to evaluate the combined effect of comprehensive physical exercise, pranayama (regulated breathing practices of yoga), and dietary support intervention on fatigue in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Non-advanced adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy (N = 52) were randomized into the intervention group (N = 26) or control group (N = 26). Fatigue assessment was done using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) Fatigue Scale (version 4) at baseline and after 3 months. The intervention group participants practiced physical exercise, slow-paced pranayama and supplemented their diet with an intake of 100 g of millet protein powder (MPP), commonly known as "Sattu" in India. The control group received standard medical care. A total of 39 patients (N = 13 in the intervention and N = 26 in the control group) were included in the statistical analysis. Within the intervention group, a statistically significant reduction in fatigue (p = 0.002) with a large effect size (d = 2.1) was observed. There was no statistically significant reduction in fatigue within the control group (p = 0.36). The group comparison showed a statistically significant reduction in post-scores of fatigue (p < 0.0001) in the intervention group as compared to the control group with a moderate effect size (R = 0.1). No unintended adverse effects related to the intervention were observed. The results suggest the potential role of integrated physical exercise, pranayama, and dietary support in reducing fatigue in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Further validation with a larger sample size is required. CTRI/2022/04/041717 [Registered prospectively on 07/04/2022].

Yogistic efficacy on cardiopulmonary capacities, endurance efficiencies and musculoskeletal potentialities in female college students.

Physical exercise participation among female students is significantly compromised throughout the academic periods of college or university due to scholastic demands and also by less parental and community encouragements. Thus, physical inactivity in female college students leads to less musculoskeletal efficiency and work performance. Customized yogic module may be considered to enhance both aerobic and anaerobic power, pulmonary capacity and musculoskeletal efficiency for the improvement of systemic body functions among female college students. A randomized, controlled parallel study design (n = 60; age = 20.16±2.05 years), on sedentary female college students practicing customized yogic module (n = 30) for 5 days / week for 3 months (60 min daily in the morning) to observe anthropometric, physiological, cardiopulmonary and muscular endurance indices. After yogic practice, a significant reduction in body fat (p < 0.05) (%), heart rate (p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (p < 0.001), double product (p‹0.01) and rate pressure product (p < 0.05) were estimated. Significant improvement (p < 0.001) in vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 sec was also observed. Evaluation of hand grip strength, maximal oxygen consumption and physical work capacity showed significant increase (p < 0.01) after yogic intervention. A three-month customized yogic training improved resting physiological activities, cardiopulmonary functions, musculoskeletal strength and endurance fitness due to focused breathing, mindfulness meditation and by stretching-strengthening patterns for achieving recreational physical activity among female college students.

Yoga for Treatment-related Complications in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials

Background: Despite the advancements in oncology, the prevalence of treatment-related complications remains high throughout the course of cancer treatment. Extensive research has indicated that yoga can have a positive influence on both physical and mental energy, potentially alleviating the severity of these complications. Objectives: The objective of this systematic review was to investigate the efficacy of yoga interventions in managing treatment-related complications among cancer patients Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases, including Medline, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and Scopus, was conducted from 2000 to 2020. The search focused on randomized controlled trials that compared yoga interventions with other interventions for the management of cancer treatment-related complications. Female cancer patients participating in yoga interventions of any style and duration were included. The primary outcome measure of interest was the change in treatment-related complications from pre- to post-yoga intervention. Results: A total of 20 randomized controlled trials were identified, encompassing a sample size of 1349 cancer patients. These trials incorporated six different styles of yoga to manage treatment-related complications. The reviewed studies consistently demonstrated significant short-term improvements in anxiety, depression, emotional function, and fatigue levels. Furthermore, regular practice of yoga exhibited positive impacts on cognition, pain management, nausea, vomiting, swelling, and shoulder strength improvement. Conclusion: The findings from the included studies strongly suggest that yoga, in its various forms, durations, and interventions, is equally effective in managing cancer treatment-related complications. Consequently, the integration of yoga into cancer treatment protocols has the potential to enhance the overall quality of life for patients with cancer.