yoga and stress

Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may play an important role in the success of treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Pre- and post-treatment blood samples were analyzed for 40 veterans who completed a 3-week intensive outpatient treatment for PTSD. The treatment included Cognitive Processing Therapy, mindfulness, and yoga as core treatment components. PTSD symptoms were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Participants reported large decreases in PTSD symptoms from pre-to post-treatment (d = 1...

There is increasing concern among both healthcare professionals and the general public about the long-term effectiveness and possible adverse effects of medicines used to treat premature ejaculation (PE) and erectile dysfunction (ED). There is also a growing recognition of the advantages of incorporating alternative or traditional approaches into healthcare systems. Yoga is gaining popularity globally and has emerged as a viable adjunct and alternative to add value to patient care and prevention of illnesses, which requires further investigation...

BACKGROUND: 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. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of integrated Yoga intervention on mental health measures and sleep quality among HCPs working during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: It was a quasi-experimental study 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)...

OBJECTIVE: There is a dearth of literature describing young adult (YA) cancer survivors' experiences with cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). We aimed to elucidate CRCI among YA cancer survivors and identify potentially modifiable risk factors. METHODS: We conducted individual qualitative interviews with YA cancer survivors aged 18-30 years at study enrollment and used applied thematic analysis to identify themes across three topics (i.e., affected cognitive abilities, risk and protective factors influencing the impact of CRCI, and strategies for coping with CRCI)...

To address infertility in a 34-year-old woman with hypothyroidism, this case study investigated an integrated holistic therapy approach. The woman presented with primary infertility and sought treatment at an infertility centre in Maharashtra, India. She underwent thorough evaluations for infertility, revealing a history of hypothyroidism. The therapy strategy included a six-month course of 50 mg levothyroxine, along with yoga and yog nidra. The yoga interventions, incorporating techniques such as surya namaskar, kriyas, yoga asanas, and pranayama, proved beneficial for weight management, stress reduction, and overall well-being...

INTRODUCTION: High variability in response and retention rates for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment highlights the need to identify "personalized" or "precision" medicine factors that can inform optimal intervention selection before an individual commences treatment. In secondary analyses from a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial, behavioral and physiological emotion regulation were examined as non-specific predictors (that identify which individuals are more likely to respond to treatment, regardless of treatment type) and treatment moderators (that identify which treatment works best for whom) of PTSD outcome...

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a chronic condition associated with a substantial symptom burden, which can impair recovery after treatment. Investigating interventions with potential to improve self-reported disease and/or treatment effects-known as patient-reported outcomes (PROs)-is paramount to inform cancer care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a yoga therapy (YT) intervention on key PROs (ie, cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, cognitive function, depression, stress, quality of life [QoL]) among adults after treatment for cancer...

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unparalleled suffering on a global scale, affecting both physical and mental well-being. In such challenging times, it becomes crucial to identify interventions that can alleviate negative mental health outcomes, such as stress, while promoting positive mental health outcomes, like well-being. We report the effectiveness of a mind-body practise, Isha Yoga, in promoting well-being. METHODS: We conducted an online survey, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Yoga practitioners ( n  = 1,352) from the Isha Yoga tradition in Karnataka, India...

In this study, university students with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) were evaluated for their responses to the practices of yoga and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) to combat PMS, and the depression, anxiety, and stress associated with it. A total of 68 students participated in a randomized controlled trial. They were divided into four parallel groups: a yoga intervention group ( n  = 17), a PMR intervention group ( n  = 17), a yoga and PMR intervention group ( n  = 17), and a control group ( n  = 17)...

Objective: Test anxiety is common among nursing students. Yoga is one form of physical activity which may be beneficial for pretest anxiety. Participants: Thirteen undergraduate students (85% nursing majors, 15% awaiting program entry, 20 ± 4.9 years of age) completed the crossover design study. Methods: Participants completed a yoga or control intervention (independent quiet study) on opposing testing days. At three time points, participants provided ratings of anxiety (visual analog scales), saliva samples for cortisol and alpha amylase, and seated heart rate variability (HRV, time and frequency domains) was recorded...

AIM: To investigate whether a structured yoga program improves health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and self-efficacy in pediatric patients receiving care for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: IBD patients who were 10-17 years old participated in a 12 week, in-person yoga intervention at two clinical sites. Outcomes were measured at time of consent (T0), start of yoga (T1), and completion of yoga (T2) and 3 months after yoga completion (T3) using the IMPACT-III, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), and General Self Efficacy (GSE) scales...

BACKGROUND: Loneliness is quickly becoming an enormous problem among individuals of all age groups. The onset of Covid-19 has worsened this situation. Therefore, there is urgent need for a practical intervention, which may improve the social well-being of an individual addressing the root cause of loneliness. AIM: In this study we examine the benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY), a yogic breathing practice to enhance social connectedness among individuals by reducing stress...

In a randomized controlled trial in the Netherlands, we studied the (cost)effectiveness of adding a mindful yoga intervention (MYI+TAU) to treatment as usual (TAU) for young women with major depressive disorder (MDD). In this paper, we present the results of the economic analyses. Societal costs and health outcomes were prospectively assessed during 15 months for all randomized participants (n = 171). Symptoms of depression (Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales; DASS) and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) were used as health outcomes in the economic analyses...

IMPORTANCE: Physicians are exposed to high stress and strain that results in burnout, which affects them, their families, their patients, and the entire health care system; thus, there is an urgent need to develop methods to increase the resiliency of physicians. Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) is a comprehensive yoga breathing and meditation-based program that is a potential approach to mitigate physician burnout. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether SKY can reduce psychological distress and improve wellness in physicians...

Background: Altered interoception plays an important role in chronic stress and posttraumatic stress disorder. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TSY) intervention for improving emotional distress and psychological discomfort in women living under circumstances of social and gender vulnerability. We assessed the effect of the treatment on the interoceptive mechanisms, and whether the psychological improvements were mediated by the changes in these mechanisms. Methods: The study involved a sample of 62 women who attended public community centres dedicated to supporting women victims of gender-based violence or who were socially and economically disadvantaged because of their gender...

BACKGROUND: Stress during pregnancy is detrimental to maternal health, pregnancy and birth outcomes and various preventive relaxation interventions have been developed. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate their effectiveness in terms of maternal mental health, pregnancy and birth outcomes. METHOD: The protocol for this review is published on PROSPERO with registration number CRD42020187443. A systematic search of major databases was conducted...

Yoga Nidra (YN) naturally stimulates a hypnagogic state wherein an individual is physiologically asleep yet maintains a certain awareness to follow a guide's instructions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of this aware sleep state on recovery-stress balance in two elite karate athletes adopting an idiosyncratic and multimodal approach. One male and one female athlete underwent a YN intervention. Before intervention, after intervention and three weeks later, recovery-stress balance specific scales, perceived stress, cognitive and somatic anxiety, subjective and objective sleep quality, and individual alpha peak frequency (iAPF) values were assessed...

Stress, anxiety and depression, often linked to internalizing/externalizing behaviors, are remarkedly high in a jail-based setting when one's future is uncertain. While research demonstrates that carceral yoga programs can provide physiological/psychological benefits, persons who are incarcerated, who have high rates of trauma-related experiences and mental illness, might benefit more from a trauma sensitive approach. Empirical studies examining the specific impact of trauma sensitive yoga (TSY) on populations who are incarcerated appear unavailable, necessitating this exploratory investigation with male residents in a TSY intervention at a New York jail...

BACKGROUND: About one in 11 adults worldwide suffers from diabetic disease with constantly increasing prevalence; from the 529 million patients registered in 2021, the number of people with diabetes was predicted to rise to approximately 1.31 billion in 2050. In Italy, 5.9% of the population is diabetic, with a higher prevalence with increasing age and in the South of the country. Yoga and Mindfulness could represent a valid support for the care of diabetic subjects especially in a stressful caring context such as the Covid-19 pandemic...

BACKGROUND: Among 20.4 million US adults diagnosed with substance use disorders (SUDs), up to 60% return to use despite treatment or attempted abstinence. Standard care for SUDs is pharmacotherapy and/or behavioral interventions in either an inpatient or outpatient setting. Both national and international epidemiological data suggest this approach to treatment is insufficient and use of an integrative protocol can better promote recovery. OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of integrating yoga-derived breathwork and meditation into substance use treatment with emphasis on a specific practice, Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY)...