International Journal of Yoga

The optic nerve comprises approximately 1.2 million axons of retinal ganglion cells and is vulnerable to degeneration due to a myriad of causes. While traditional treatments have been the cornerstone of ocular care, emerging evidence highlights the benefits of integrative approaches, which can be used as an adjunct in the management of optic neuropathy. Yoga is a mind-body energy medicine encompasses physical postures, breath control, and meditation. Currently, it has gained attention for its holistic effects on well-being, by promoting health, preventing onset of diseases, adjunct in disease management, and for its rehabilitative potential...

Stress is an enormous concern in our culture because it is the root cause of many health issues. Yoga asanas and mindfulness-based practices are becoming increasingly popular for stress management; nevertheless, the biological effect of these practices on stress reactivity is still a research domain. The purpose of this review is to emphasize various biosignals that reflect stress reduction through various yoga-based practices. A comprehensive synthesis of numerous prior investigations in the existing literature was conducted...

BACKGROUND: Experiential avoidance (EA) and mindfulness are the two important transdiagnostic process and outcome variables in psychological formulation and treatment. While smartphones have a large utility value, they also have the potential for adverse impacts on functioning. Studies have separately shown associations among EA, dispositional mindfulness (DM), and problematic smartphone use (PSU). However, there is a lack of study exploring the associations and mediation relationship among these variables together in an Indian context...

CONTEXT: Participation in yoga has increased dramatically amongst all demographic groups in recent decades. While studies have explored the physical and mental benefits of yoga, few have focused on the lived experiences of those practicing yoga and why they continue their involvement. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to assess practitioners' views about the impact of yoga on mental well-being and explore how these benefits may support their continued practice...

BACKGROUND: Yoga practice has multiple health benefits. Surya Namaskar (SN) also known as sun salutation presents mental and physical health benefits equivalent to physical exercise. It consists of a sequence of 12 Hatha yoga postures with coordinated breathing. AIMS: This study evaluated the effect of SN against mild intensity stationary cycling exercise (SCE) on parameters of heart rate variability (HRV). METHODOLOGY: This study was conducted in the department of physiology of a nationally important institute after obtaining ethics approval...

INTRODUCTION: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder that affects the shape and function of red blood cells (RBCs), which can lead to several health problems affecting the quality of life. SCD can be treated with certain expensive treatments such as RBC transfusion, hydroxyurea, stem cell transplantation, gene therapy, or bone marrow transplant. However, some of the most common symptoms such as pain, anxiety, and stress can also be alleviated with alternative therapies like yoga...

INTRODUCTION: Yoga is emerging as one of the holistic approaches to respiratory diseases. The scope of yoga is expanding in communicable diseases with physical, mental, and societal benefits. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to evaluate the effect of integrated yoga as an adjuvant therapy to the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) on assessing health-related Quality of Life (QoL) in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). SETTING AND DESIGN: A randomized controlled trail study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Yoga therapy (YT) as an adjunct treatment has reportedly been demonstrated to offer clinical benefits in major depressive disorder (MDD). Although a few biological pathways are suggested to mediate the effects of yoga, the precise mechanistic basis remains unknown. Oxidative stress pathway activation has consistently been linked to the pathobiology of MDD. Whether YT has a modulatory effect on the oxidative stress pathway in MDD is not adequately understood. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: In this study, we examined the impact of a course (3 months) of yoga as an add on therapy on the markers of the oxidative stress pathway in MDD patients...

INTRODUCTION: University students' motivators and preferences for yoga as their course of study can influence their future as yoga instructors and therapists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six hundred and thirty-six students of both genders (251:385, male: female) from four North Indian universities offering graduate and postgraduate courses in yoga were the respondents to a convenience sampling survey about their preferences and motivators. RESULTS: The three most common reasons why students chose to study yoga were (i) "I can help many people through knowledge of yoga" (32...

This article provides a quantitative review of the potential applications of meditation-based interventions (MBIs) in addressing the major health issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The review assesses the effectiveness of MBIs on five prevalent disorders during the pandemic, namely depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, and long COVID. This is achieved by selecting and scrutinizing seven studies that involve various types of online randomized controlled trials and utilize control group outcomes for effectiveness evaluation...

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels, including coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, peripheral artery disease, congenital heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess cardiovascular risk factors and evaluate the effectiveness of combined approach of yoga and diet in reducing cardiovascular risk factors among high-risk subjects...

OBJECTIVES: Previously, yoga volitional breathing with low inspiration to expiration ratios (i/e) (as in bhramari pranayama ) improved cognition and reduced state anxiety. This study compared the effects of low, high and equal i/e ratio breathing on affect and attention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Affect, vigor and attention were assessed in forty healthy participants (group mean age± SD; 22.58±3.83; M:F= 2.33:1) while breathing with three different i/e regulated by a visual metronome on separate days viz...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

The body and mind are instruments that, through the senses, provide a gateway to conscious experience. One could reduce the totality of human existence to the body and mind alone, yet superficial appearances can be misleading. According to the yogic system, humans are comprised progressively subtle sheaths or koshas, ranging from the physical to the mind, energy, intellect, and bliss body. Furthermore, harnessing the intellect brings a level of control over energy, thoughts, behaviors, and quality of life. This understanding reorients the traditional, allopathic approach, which tends to emphasize the physical body in terms of anatomy, physiology, and clinical pathology...

The global burden of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension is high and increasing. Several systematic reviews suggest yoga, an ancient mind-body discipline from the Indian subcontinent, is safe and can be beneficial for preventing and managing obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Several qualitative studies have been conducted to explore barriers and facilitators to yoga practice among people at high risk of or with obesity, diabetes, or hypertension and providers who delivered yoga to these people. However, no systematic review on this topic has been conducted to date, and this systematic review will aim to synthesize such barriers and facilitators to yoga practice...

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic posed a huge stress on health-care givers affecting their physical and mental health. Wellness strategies like yoga can improve flexibility, resilience, and outlook. AIM: The present study explored the effect of 8-week standard common yoga protocol (CYP) intervention on autonomic functions, emotional stress, oxidative stress, and inflammation markers in the nurse group of health-care givers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is a randomized controlled trial where 50 nurses underwent CYP and 50 participated as controls...

BACKGROUND: Yoga is an emerging intervention causing improvement in physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Its role in improving outcomes in patients with amputation was investigated. METHODOLOGY: Patients with traumatic lower limb amputation ( n = 50) were enrolled and randomized to the Yoga group ( n = 26) against control ( n = 24). Sociodemographic details, quality of life (QOL) (World Health Organization QOL-BREF), Depression anxiety stress scale (DASS), Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and amputee body image score were applied at baseline, 6,-18 weeks of amputation...

BACKGROUND: The heterogenic manifestations of polycystic ovarian syndrome have led to various treatment approaches that include improving hormonal imbalance, weight management, and improving quality of life (QoL). Yoga therapy being a versatile treatment approach benefits physical and mental well-being and can be recommended to women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to study the effect of structured yoga intervention on anthropometric, metabolic, hormonal, biochemical, ovarian morphology, and infertility-related QoL parameters among infertile women with PCOS...

BACKGROUND: Heart rate varies during breathing and the heart rate variability (HRV) facilitates the autonomic homeostatic capacity. The maximum HRV was observed at around 10 s of prolonged respiration as per HRV biofeedback literature. However, there is a gap in understanding the variations in HRV by different respiration lengths during simple Bhramari practice. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of various respiration lengths (8, 10, 12, and 14 s) on HRV during the simple Bhramari (humming) practice...