Contemplating movement: A randomized control trial of yoga training for mental health

Yoga is increasingly recognized for both its physical and mental health benefits, yet its central mechanisms of action remain unclear. In addition to benefits generally associated with physical exercise, yoga may also cultivate interoception, the sense of the body's internal state, the ability to notice and respond adaptively to physiological cues. Complicating matters, yoga training varies in the relative emphasis on physical movement and the cultivation of interoceptive awareness, yet few studies have explored whether differences in emphasis impact yoga's benefits. A randomized trial explored the effects of interoceptive emphasis in yoga training on attention and subjective wellbeing. Over a 10-week period featuring classes twice each week, community-dwelling adult participants with moderate depressive symptoms (N = 58) were randomized to attend either more Movement-Focused yoga or Interoception-Focused yoga. Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and at a one-month follow-up, which included both self-reports of mood and interoception, and task-performance on a Sustained Attention to Response Task. Relative to Movement-Focused yoga, Interoception-Focused yoga practitioners showed greater improvements in sustained attention, but no differences in self-reported mood or interoception. Yet sustained attention improvements in the Interoception-Focused group were greatest for those endorsing high levels of interoception, an effect that was absent in the Movement-Focused group. Despite an exploratory sample size, these findings support the potential for an interoceptive focus to extend yoga's attentional benefits, particularly for those who report high interoceptive awareness.     

Cognitive and psychosocial effects of an acute sun salutation intervention among adults with stress

Evidence suggests that yoga can improve executive functioning (EF) and psychological well-being, but there is no evidence whether flow-based, moderate-intensity forms of yoga can deliver similar benefits. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to test the aforementioned effects of engaging in a 30-min, video-guided sun salutation exercise (n = 25), relative to aerobic exercise (n = 22) and attentional control (n = 24). Low-active participants (Mage = 27.84; 87.3% female), with symptoms of stress, completed psychosocial assessments and tasks assessing EF, before and after the session. Results showed a significant group difference for state anxiety (p = .01, η_p² = 0.13) and stress (p < .05, η_p² = 0.09), in favor of the yoga group. No significant between-groups differences in EF were observed. Results suggest that video-guided, flow-based forms of yoga can induce immediate improvements in well-being, yet extended involvement may be required to realize performance improvements in memory and processing speed.     

Perceived mechanisms of change in therapeutic yoga targeting psychological distress

IntroductionThis study was designed to investigate yoga teachers' and yoga therapists’ perceptions of the ways yoga is applied to treat symptoms of psychological distress, and identify the defining features, main components, and mechanisms of change in therapeutic practice.MethodsA qualitative design was employed. Six yoga teachers who had specific training and experience in teaching therapeutic yoga or practicing ‘yoga therapy’ took part in one-to-one interviews during which they gave accounts of their experiences of helping people cope with psychological distress through yoga. Participants' interviews were transcribed verbatim and were analysed using an integrative inductive-deductive thematic analysis.ResultsFour key themes were identified in relation to the benefits of therapeutic yoga: Awareness, Choice, Relationships, and Tailoring.ConclusionsThe findings support previous research which suggests that individualised yoga therapy is a promising intervention, and may help to form a theoretical rationale for the future treatment of psychological distress with yoga.     

Effect of yoga on cardiac autonomic dysfunction and insulin resistance in non-diabetic offspring of type-2-diabetes parents: A randomized controlled study

ObjectiveThe present study was aimed to determine the effect of yoga program on cardiac autonomic dysfunction and insulin resistance in non-diabetic offspring of diabetes parents.MethodsA randomized passive-controlled study was conducted on 64 non-diabetic offspring of type-2-diabetes parents (mean-age:25.17years). Yoga group participants received yoga training for 8 weeks. Heart-rate variability (HRV) indices: low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and LF/HF ratio; fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin resistance (IR) were estimated at baseline and after 8-weeks of intervention.ResultsWe found a significant decrease in LF (p = 0.005), LF/HF ratio (p = 0.004), IR (p < 0.001), OGTT (p = 0.003) and increase in HF (p = 0.022) in yoga group participants. Control group participants did not show any significant change in any variables.ConclusionsImprovement in cardiac autonomic function and insulin resistance by yoga training implies that yoga can reduce the risk of development of diabetes in offspring of diabetes parents.     

Effects of a yoga nidra on the life stress and self-esteem in university students

ObjectivesTo assess the effects of a yoga nidra on life stress and self-esteem in university students.MethodsThis study is a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Forty university students were selected by convenience sampling, with 20 assigned to a yoga nidra group and 20 to a control group. The yoga group participated in bi-weekly, 1-h sessions of yoga nidra for 8 weeks. Life stress intensity level was measured using a 10 cm Visual Analog Scale. Self-esteem score was measured by Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale.ResultsThe yoga nidra group showed significantly decreased life stress intensity levels compared to the control group. The yoga group also showed significantly increased self-esteem scores compared to the control group.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that yoga nidra could alleviate the life stress intensity level and increase the self-esteem in university students.     

Effectiveness of yoga training program on the severity of autism

This study examines the effect of yoga training program (YTP) on the severity of autism in children with High Function Autism (HFA). Twenty-nine children aged 7 to 15 (mean = 11.22, SD = 2.91) years were randomly allocated to either yoga or control group. The participants in the yoga group received an 8-week (24-session) Yoga Training Program (YTP). Parents or caregivers of participants completed autism treatment evaluation checklist (ATEC) at baseline and the end of the intervention. The results of the analysis showed that there were significant differences between the two groups with regards to all ATEC sub-scores except ATEC I (speech/language/communication). This study provides support for the implementation of a yoga training program and identifies specific procedural enhancements to reduce the severity of symptoms in children with autism.     

Role of yoga for patients with type II diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

To understand the role and efficacy of yoga in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, this meta-analysis was conducted. Electronic data bases searched were PubMed/Medline, ProQuest, PsycINFO, IndMED, CENTRAL, Cochrane library, CamQuest and CamBase till December 17, 2014. Eligible outcomes were fasting blood sugar (FBS), post prandial blood sugar (PPBS) and glycosylated haemoglobin (HBA1C). Randomized controlled trials and controlled trials were eligible. Studies focussing only on relaxation or meditation or multimodal intervention were not included. A total of 17 RCTs were included for review. Data from research articles on patients, methods, interventions- control and results were extracted. Mean and standard deviations were utilized for calculating standardized mean difference with 95% confidence interval. Heterogeneity was assessed with the help of I² statistics. χ² was used to rule out the effects of heterogeneity due to chance alone. Beneficial effects of yoga as an add-on intervention to standard treatment in comparison to standard treatment were observed for FBS [Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) −1.40, 95%CI −1.90 to −0.90, p ˂ 0.00001]; PPBS [SMD −0.91, 95%CI −1.34 to −0.48, p ˂ 0.0001] as well as HBA1C [SMD −0.64, 95%CI −0.97 to −0.30, p ˂ 0.0002]. But risk of bias was overall high for included studies. With this available evidence, yoga can be considered as add-on intervention for management of diabetes.