International Journal of Yoga最新文献

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common psychological disorder among women after childbirth. As a mind-body practice, yoga has been proposed as a non-pharmacological intervention to alleviate symptoms of PPD. This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of yoga in reducing postpartum depression symptoms using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) by synthesizing evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases including Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, PubMed, Google Scholar, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP, from their inception to December 2023. Eligible studies were RCTs that assessed the efficacy of yoga on PPD with EPDS as the outcome measure. Two independent reviewers carried out study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment. A meta-analysis using a random-effects model was performed. 6 RCTs were included, involving a total of 443 participants (222 in the yoga group and 221 in the control group). The results indicated that yoga significantly reduced EPDS scores compared with the control group (mean difference = -2.97, 95% confidence interval: -4.72 to -1.23, P < 0.00001), although substantial heterogeneity was observed (I² = 95%). These findings suggest that yoga can be an effective complementary therapy for relieving postpartum depression symptoms. However, the high heterogeneity underscores the need for further high-quality, large-scale RCTs to confirm these results. This review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023449120).

Background and objectives: Current medical treatments and surgeries for end stage renal disease (ESRD) affect disease control and its complications. Yoga has been recognized for its potential impact on mental health in various clinical populations. Hemodialysis patients often experience heightened psychological distress, which can adversely affect treatment adherence and overall health outcomes. This feasibility pilot study aimed to investigate the integration of yoga therapy into hemodialysis care as a means of improving psychological well-being in patients with ESRD.

Methods/design: A single-arm pre- and postdesign was used for 20 ESRD patients on hemodialysis. They were recruited from the dialysis center of a tertiary care hospital. One month of structured yoga intervention for 60 min/day was provided to the participants as an adjunct, along with their conventional management. Subjective psychological measures, such as pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, symptom severity, and quality of life, were assessed before and after the intervention.

Results: The data on ESRD patients on hemodialysis demonstrated a Yoga Performance Assessment score of 23.150 ± 0.875, demonstrating the feasibility of the study. All the participants completed the study period. With no dropouts, we considered the intervention to be feasible. Significant pre- and postmean differences across several psychological domains were found in the visual analog scale for pain, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

Conclusion: This study offers valuable preliminary evidence regarding the feasibility and potential efficacy of integrating yoga therapy into hemodialysis care and psychological well-being.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD), commonly known as clinical depression, is a mental health disease that causes chronic sadness and a loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities and associated with significant impairments in cognitive and autonomic functions, which often persist even after mood symptoms improve.

Aim: This study investigated the effects of a 6-month combined yoga and dietary intervention on cognitive performance, autonomic regulation, and depressive symptoms in individuals with MDD.

Materials and methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 178 participants with MDD (aged 20-50 years) were assigned to either a combined yoga and dietary intervention group or a control group receiving standard care. The intervention group participated in yoga for 60 min 4 days in a week over a period of 6 months and a diet chart was given to them. Outcome measures included depression severity (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), cognitive function (subjective and objective assessment), autonomic function (heart rate variability, blood pressure), assessments were conducted at baseline and 6 months, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed statistically significant improvements in Hamilton score for depression (P < 0.001), food frequency questionnaire (P < 0.001), Montreal cognitive assessment score (P < 0.001), mini-mental status examination score (P < 0.001), P300 latency (P < 0.001), P300 Amplitude (P < 0.001), low frequency (P < 0.001), high frequency (P < 0.001), low/high frequency (P < 0.001), root mean square standard deviation (SD) (P < 0.001), SD of NN interval (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: A 6-month combined yoga and nutrition intervention improved cognitive performance, autonomic regulation, and depressive symptoms significantly in the study group. These findings imply that this integrative strategy could be a helpful addition to normal MDD care, perhaps addressing the disorder's multidimensional nature. More research is needed to understand the long-term consequences and mechanisms that underpin these benefits.

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain and tenderness at specific points in the body, sleep disturbances, fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Current management for FMS focuses on a multidisciplinary approach to symptom management. Among the complementary and alternative therapies used for symptom management, yoga holds a significant position. Yoga, which aims to achieve balance in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects, is suggested to have potential benefits in managing the symptoms of fibromyalgia. These potential benefits include pain and stress management, reduction in sleep disturbances and chronic fatigue, increased body awareness, and improved quality of life. However, despite the expanding research on the relationship between yoga and fibromyalgia, definitive conclusions regarding a clear clinical effect have not yet been established. Nonetheless, the positive effects of practices such as yoga, which integrate physical postures, mindfulness, and breathwork, on overall health, functional capacity, and quality of life should be considered. People with fibromyalgia should consult their healthcare provider before trying therapeutic practices such as yoga.

Context: Valsalva maneuver (VM) is performed during strength physical exercises because it stabilizes the torso through an increased intra-abdominal pressure. By contrast, yoga practitioners are discouraged from Valsalva. Instead, they use Ujjayi breath (UB), which consists of unstopped breathing through the narrowed glottis.

Settings and design: This study was an observational research performed in healthy participants. The aim of this study was to evaluate veins in the groin area during different types of breathing. We examined both lower limbs in ten healthy people in the standing body position during: (a) normal breathing, (b) VM, and (c) UB. We measured the cross-sectional areas of the femoral and the great saphenous veins (GSVs) in proximity to the saphenofemoral junction (SFJ) and the function of the terminal valve of the GSV.

Results: In all participants, the terminal and preterminal valves of the GSV were competent. VM was associated with complete closure of the terminal valve, while during UB, this valve was opening and closing, following the breathing. Regarding the cross-sectional areas of the veins studied, in comparison with normal breathing, there were only slight dilatations during Valsalva and UB. The cross-sectional area of the femoral vein increased by 7%-9% during Valsalva and 2%-4% during Ujjayi; the cross-sectional area of the GSV increased by 17%-18% during Valsalva and 15%-16% during Ujjayi.

Conclusions: In the standing body position, UB allows for undisturbed flow through the SFJ, while Valsalva interrupts this flow, with blood stagnation distally from the terminal valve. Both Valsalva and UBs have minimal effect on the cross-sectional areas of the veins in the groin in the standing body position.

The scientific community is actively exploring the effects of breath-related practices on the emotional, physiological, and cognitive functioning of human beings. It is no longer the singular realm of exploration of the spiritual communities. A thorough search of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar was performed to locate pertinent articles on respiratory entrainment of hippocampal waveforms and its relationship with memory. The search utilized terms such as "hippocampal waveforms," "respiratory entrainment," and "phase-amplitude coupling (PAC)," which were combined using Boolean operators (AND, OR). There is no dearth of literature indicating consolidation, retrieval, and escalation of memory encoding with breath-related practices. However, the underlying mechanisms linking breath and brain cognition in human beings require further rigorous scientific exploration, which is still in a primitive stage. Nasal airflow during inhalation stimulates various structures in the brain and interferes with hippocampal waves. These hippocampal waves are modified by the nature of respiratory rhythm through hierarchically organized PAC. In addition, research proposes that nasal breathing organizes neuronal activity across the brain and accomplishes intricate behaviors, including memory. Apparently, as hippocampal respiration-induced rhythm tracks breathing, controlled breathing practices can be framed as an active interference mechanism to secure hold over one's mind and cognition. Hence, in this article, we discuss an overview of the emerging literature on how the physiological regulation of nasal breathing is linked with the neural and cognitive processes.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes different physical and mental symptoms, especially fatigue and depression. Yoga is a form of complementary and alternative medicine treatment. Bhramari pranayama breathing exercise is a yoga practice. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Bhramari pranayama yoga on the severity of fatigue and depression in MS patients.

Materials and methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 78 patients visiting the MS Association in an urban area of Iran were randomly assigned to two groups using the minimization method. The intervention group (n = 38) performed Bhramari pranayama yoga for 20 min, twice a day for 4 weeks. The control group (n = 40) received routine care from the MS Association. The participants in the two groups were evaluated before and after the intervention using Fatigue Severity Scale and Beck Depression Inventory-II. The data were analyzed using SPSS-26 software.

Results: The data showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the mean scores of fatigue and depression before the intervention. However, after the intervention, there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in the mean scores of fatigue (P < 0.01; confidence interval [CI]: -25.34, -17.81; effect size: -2.80) and depression (P = 0.001; CI: -18.91, -11.25; effect size: -1.92).

Conclusion: Yoga can reduce the severity of fatigue and depression in MS patients. Thus, Bhramari pranayama, as a yoga exercise that can be easily learned and practiced is recommended to specialists, MS clinic officials and patients.

Background: The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a complex neural network responsible for maintaining homeostasis through its sympathetic and parasympathetic components. Yoga, an ancient mind-body practice, has been shown to modulate autonomic function, promoting homeostasis. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the differential impact of spinal flexion and extension-based yoga postures on autonomic modulation in practitioners with at least 2 years of consistent yoga practice.

Methods: This randomized crossover trial included 40 participants of both genders who had practiced yoga for at least 2 years, averaging 3-5 sessions per week. Participants were randomly allocated (1:1) into two groups: Group 1 (n = 20) practiced a set of three spinal flexion-based postures (SFP: Halasana, Padahastasana, Shashankasana) on day 1 and three spinal extension-based postures (SEP: Ardhachakrasana, Ushtrasana, Chakrasana) on day 2; Group 2 (N = 20) practiced SEP on day 1 and SFP on day 2. Autonomic function was assessed using heart rate variability (HRV), respiratory rate (RR), galvanic skin resistance (GSR), and electrogastrogram (EGG), which were measured for 5 min at baseline and 5 min postintervention on both days. The data were analyzed based on linear mixed models.

Results: Both SFP and SEP interventions resulted in a significant increase in the high-frequency (HF) component of HRV (P < 0.001), indicating parasympathetic predominance immediately postintervention. RR showed a significant increase postintervention (P < 0.001), likely due to the higher energy demands of the postures. No significant changes were observed in GSR for either intervention. EGG recordings indicated a nonsignificant decrease in overall gastric motility postintervention, potentially due to vagal nerve stimulation.

Conclusion: Both spinal flexion and extension-based yoga postures enhance parasympathetic activity in moderately experienced practitioners, as evidenced by increased HF HRV. Future research should focus on long-term impact of different yoga postures and employ advanced measurement techniques for greater methodological rigor.

Background: Krida yoga, as a stand-alone intervention, has not been extensively researched in the field of mental health, especially for inpatients. Previous studies have been conducted on healthy populations and have included Krida yoga as the part of their overall yoga programme. Most of these yoga programs have reported improvements in various outcomes, such as stress, anxiety, physical health, and psychological wellbeing, with no negative effects, indicating that Krida yoga, along with other forms of yoga, is beneficial. In this context, the current study aimed to develop and test the feasibility of the Krida yoga group programme on stress and well-being of inpatients of the Department of Integrative Medicine, NIMHANS.

Methods: A sample of 30 inpatients having neurological and psychiatric conditions participated in a 15-day, thrice-weekly, 1-h Krida yoga programme conducted by the researcher, a certified yoga trainer. Tools such as the Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14) and WHO Well-being Scale (WHO-5) were used to assess the pre- and post-effects of the Krida yoga programme on days 0 and 15.

Results: Pre- and post-quantitative findings indicated a significant reduction in stress from 35.20 (5.51%) to 19.86 (3.9%) and an improvement in well-being from 9.36 (1.67%) to 15.93 (1.93%). Thematic analysis of the qualitative data collected from the inpatients supported the quantitative findings. The triangulated quantitative and qualitative findings suggested moderate to high feasibility of the Krida yoga group programme for inpatients in mental health settings.

Conclusion: Based on these results, it can be concluded that the Krida yoga programme is feasible to conduct and should be tested for its effectiveness in future randomized controlled trials.