Psychophysiological effects of yoga on stress in college students

The psychosomatic impact of Yoga in medical education: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Non-clinical approaches such as meditation, yoga, and mindfulness are popular traditional therapeutical interventions adopted by many educational institutions to improve the physical and mental well-being of learners. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of yoga intervention in improving cardiopulmonary parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, pulmonary function tests and psychosomatic symptoms such as depression, anxiety and stress in medical and dental students. Using the PRISMA protocol, a search from databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Embase resulted in 304 relevant articles. After screening the title and abstracts, 47 papers were analyzed thoroughly and included in the qualitative analysis. 18 articles with homogenous statistical data on physiology and psychological parameters were included for meta-analysis. In comparison to the control group, the study showed a significant reduction of systolic blood pressure (SBP: 6.82 mmHg, z = -3.06, p = 0.002), diastolic blood pressure (DBP: 2.92 mmHg, z = -2.22, p = 0.03), and heart rate (HR: 2.55 beats/min, z = -2.77, p = 0.006). Additionally, data from 4 studies yielded a significant overall effect of a stress reduction of 0.77 on standardized assessments due to the yoga intervention (z = 5.29, p < 0.0001). Lastly, the results also showed a significant (z = -2.52, p = 0.01) reduction of 1.2 in standardized anxiety tests in intervention group compared to the control. The findings offer promising prospects for medical educators globally, encouraging them to consider reformation and policymaking in medical curricula to enhance academic success and improve the overall quality of life for medical students worldwide.

Effect of yoga in medical students to reduce the level of depression, anxiety, and stress: pilot study (Goodbye Stress with Yoga GSY)

INTRODUCTION

Globally medical students reported high level of stress sensitivity, stress intensity and depression or anxiety. Yoga is proven to be a one of the most effective anxiolytic tools. The current study specifically designed to investigate the effect of yoga intervention on the level of stress, depression, and anxiety of medical student at the University of Pécs.

METHODS

Twenty-eight medical students from the University of Pécs, with an average age of 23.54 ± 4.36 years and a BMI of 22.42 ± 3.42 kg/m2, participated in a 10-week yoga intervention. In the current study, the DASS-21 was employed to gather information on stress, depression, and anxiety, while self-reported health and quality of life were assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF Questionnaire. The Shapiro-Wilk test was employed to examine the distribution of the data. The choice between the paired sampled T-test and the Wilcoxon signed test was determined based on the distribution of the data.

RESULTS

The intervention group exhibited a mean and standard deviation of depression pre- and post-yoga 10.14 ± 10.60 and 7.21 ± 8.56, similarly the values for anxiety were 8.57 ± 10.09 and 5.51 ± 7.42, and for stress values were 12.79 ± 10.73 and 9.64 ± 9.71 respectively. Notably, this outcome attribute to a significant in decreased depression (p = 0.019), anxiety (p = 0.049) among the participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Introduction of Yoga Intervention significantly decreased in levels of depression and anxiety. By this current study we were able to confirm the necessity of Yoga Intervention with our primary survey.

Comparative impact of yoga and ayurveda practice in insomnia: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Insomnia is connected with a lifted hazard for neurocognitive dysfunction and psychiatric disarranges. Clinical observations of psychosomatic patients indicate that their distorted somatopsychic functioning necessitates their practice of yoga-like therapy. Sleep and its modifications and management have also been explained well in ayurveda. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Yoga and Nasya Karma on the sleep quality, stress, cognitive function, and quality of life of people suffering from acute insomnia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

It was an open-label, randomized controlled trial. A total of 120 participants were randomly (computer-generated randomization) equally allocated to three groups, yoga group (G-1), ayurveda group (G-2), and control group (G-3). All the groups were assessed on the first day before the start of the yoga regime and the 48^th day. Participants in the study were included in the age group of 18 to 45 years, fulfilling DSM-V criteria for insomnia, physically fit for the yoga module, and Nasya procedure. Outcomes were measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), cognitive failure questionnaire, and WHO Quality of Life Scale-Brief (WHOQOL-Brief). Proportions and frequencies were described for categorical variables and compared using the Chi-square test. ANOVA (one-way) and post hoc analysis, Bonferroni test, were performed for multiple comparisons in groups at a significance level of P < 0.05 using SPSS (23 version).

RESULTS

A total of 112 participants were analyzed as per protocol analysis. All groups have observed significant mean differences for stress (<0.05) and sleep quality (<0.05). All five aspects of quality of life - general health (<0.05), physical health (<0.01), psychological health (<0.05), social health (<0.05), and environmental health (<0.05) - had a significant mean difference in all three groups. All three aspects of cognitive failure, forgetfulness (<0.05), distractibility (<0.05), and false triggers (<0.01) had a significant mean difference in scores for all three groups.

CONCLUSION

Yoga practice was effective, followed by ayurveda and the control group in reducing stress and improving sleep, cognitive function, and quality of life.

Effects of Suryanamaskar, an Intensive Yoga Exercise Routine, on the Stress Levels and Emotional Intelligence of Indian Students

The inability of an individual to identify, assess, and manage emotions and levels of stress has adverse individual and societal consequences. Previous studies have shown that yoga-based interventions can successfully treat stress, anxiety, and depression, and can enhance emotional control. The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of a specific, intensive, yoga-based intervention, Dynamic Suryanamaskar, on the levels of perceived stress and emotional intelligence in Indian male school students. One hundred and five students with a median age of 17.15 ± 1.42 years were assessed. Practice took place over 12 weeks (n = 70 workouts). The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaire and the emotional intelligence (EQ) questionnaire, developed for the Indian population, were used to measure stress and emotional levels at the start and end of the study. The Solomon four-group design was used to ensure statistical reliability. The post-study univariate analysis of covariance ANOVA between groups (p < 0.001) and the t-test for independent samples (p < 0.05) indicated that, for those using the Dynamic Suryanamaskar protocol, there was a significant reduction in stress levels and a significant (p < 0.01) increase in the levels of emotional intelligence. This study thus provides further evidence of the benefits of the practice of Dynamic Suryanamaskar.

Effectiveness of Aromatherapy Yoga in Stress Reduction and Sleep Quality Improvement among Chinese Female College Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study

College students, particularly female students, often suffer from severe stress and poor sleep. Aromatherapy yoga has become a popular exercise in recent years and may help reduce stress and improve sleep quality, although empirical evidence is limited. We investigated the effectiveness of aromatherapy yoga intervention in reducing stress and improving sleep quality among Chinese female college students. A total of 89 participants—44 in the experimental group (aromatherapy yoga) and 45 in the control group (yoga)—with an average age of 19.88 ± 1.13 years, were enrolled in this quasi-experimental study. Interventions were performed in the respective groups once a week for 12 weeks, for 90 min each time. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Mann–Whitney U test (including effect size) were used to test the differences in stress reduction and sleep quality before and after the intervention. From the findings of the current research, both therapies did not help female students’ stress levels or sleep hygiene significantly. However, aromatherapy yoga has the potential to improve sleep disturbances experienced by female college students. Additionally, there was no difference in the amount of stress or the quality of sleep between the aromatherapy yoga groups and the regular yoga groups before and after therapy.

Introspective Meditation before Seeking Pleasurable Activities as a Stress Reduction Tool among College Students: A Multi-Theory Model-Based Pilot Study

In the realm of behavioral interventions, a combined approach of yoga and a cognitive-behavioral strategy in the form of introspective meditation (manan-dhyana) may offer benefits as a stress management tool. This pilot study focuses on introspective meditation performed before seeking pleasurable activities, which is a self-reflection about whether to pursue a goal that will bring sensory pleasure in life. A non-probability sample of college students was recruited from a mid-sized Southern University of the United States using a 52-items web-based survey built in Qualtrics. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics were used to analyze data. Of total 65 students, only 21.5% students reported being engaged in the introspective meditation. The sample constituted predominantly females (75.4%), White (64.6%), and undergraduate students (87.7%). The proportions of anxiety, depression, and moderate/high stress were 50.8%, 40.0%, 86.1% respectively. In the hierarchical regression for initiation, the final model explained nearly 21.1% of variance in initiating introspective meditation among participants (n = 51) who had not been practicing it. With each unit increment in subscales of initiation (i.e., changes in physical environment), the conditional mean for initiating introspective meditation behavior increased by 0.373 units. In the hierarchical regression for sustenance, the final model explained nearly 50.5% of variance in sustaining introspective meditation behavior among participants (n = 51) who had not been practicing it. With each unit increment in subscales of sustenance (i.e., emotional transformation), the conditional mean for sustaining introspective meditation behavior increased by 0.330 units. This study can pave a way for designing interventions for college students to promote introspective meditation directed toward seeking pleasurable activities before engaging in them. This has implications for the reduction of stress as well as a preemptive measure for sexual risk-taking, indulgence in maladaptive behaviors such as smoking, vaping, alcohol, and substance use.

Immediate effects of meditation in college students: A pilot study examining the role of baseline attention performance and trait mindfulness

OBJECTIVE

Determine feasibility of a procedure to identify relationships between preexisting traits and immediate mindfulness meditation (MM) responses in novice college students.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-four novice college students participated between September 2016 and April 2017.

METHODS

We measured trait mindfulness, attention and executive function performance, and immediate MM-related changes in self-reported state mindfulness and state anxiety following a 13-min MM.

RESULTS

The procedure appeared to be feasible and acceptable to college students. Preliminary findings included increases in state mindfulness and decreases in state anxiety, which appeared to vary by level of trait mindfulness. Better attention performance correlated with greater increases in state mindfulness of body.

CONCLUSION

This pilot study demonstrated feasibility of investigating the relationship between baseline traits and college students' immediate MM responses. Using these methods, future studies can provide a unique examination of MM effects stratified by validated facets of state mindfulness of body and mind.

A Comparison of the Acute Effects of Different Forms of Yoga on Physiological and Psychological Stress: A Pilot Study

Yoga is a frequently recommended stress management strategy; however, the acute stress response to varying types of yoga are not fully clear. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare the acute effects of meditative and power yoga on indices of physiological and psychological stress. In a crossover counterbalanced design, physically active females (n = 13; age = 20.8 yrs ± 0.8, height = 164.5 cm ± 6.1, body mass = 65.0 kg ± 13.8) who did not regularly participate in yoga or mindful training enrolled in this study. Participants completed two visits each, with a standardized instructional-video 30-min yoga session with either A) meditative (Hatha style) yoga or B) power (Vinyasa style) yoga. Prior to and immediately after each yoga bout, psychological stress was assessed using the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire, and salivary cortisol samples were obtained to measure indices of physiological stress. State anxiety scores were significantly lower following meditative yoga (p = 0.047) but were not different following power yoga (p = 0.625). Salivary cortisol levels were significantly lower following meditative yoga (p = 0.020) but not following power yoga (p = 0.242). Results indicate that acute engagement in meditative yoga decreases markers of psychological and physiological stress, while power yoga does not impart a significant stress-relieving benefit. Findings indicate that differing types of yoga may have various stress-relieving capabilities and should be considered by individuals seeking anxiolytic benefits.

Impact of residential yoga training on occupational stress and health promotion in principals

BACKGROUND

Occupational stress is known as harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the resources, needs, or capabilities of an employee, leading to poor mental and physical health.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of 1-week residential yoga training program on occupational stress and its subscales among principals.

METHODS

Thirty-three principals with ages 40-59 years completed the assessment. They received yoga training at Kaivalyadham Yoga Institute. All the participants were recruited by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan as part of their on-duty yoga training. At the baseline and after 1 week of yoga training participants were assessed for occupational stress. The yoga intervention was given in the morning and evening for 105 min. Apart from yoga training, all the participants were engaged in lectures based on stress management, yoga for total health, meditation, yoga in school education, and scientific basis of yoga, daily for 3 h.

RESULTS

The principals showed a significant decrease in role overload (P < 0.001), role ambiguity (P < 0.01), role conflict (P < 0.05), under participation (P < 0.001), powerlessness (P < 0.001), intrinsic impoverishment (P < 0.01), law status (P < 0.001), and overall occupational stress (P < 0.001) after 7 days of yoga training intervention. However, there was no significant change in unreasonable group and political pressure (P > 0.05), responsibility for persons (P > 0.05), poor peer relations (P > 0.05), strenuous working conditions (P > 0.05), and unprofitability (P > 0.05) after yoga training intervention.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests that 1 week of residential yoga training program can improve occupational stress in principals.

The precedence and viability of yoga in the lives of D3-dental students, dental practitioners, and dental patients

Dentistry as a profession is quite demanding and challenging and is also associated with occupational hazards like musculoskeletal disorders and stress-related problems. The practice of yoga has been proven to be efficacious in management of quite a lot of stress and lifestyle disorders. It strengthens one physically, mentally, and emotionally. Moreover, yoga can also be used in the management of dental patients for stress-related oral conditions like lichen planus, burning mouth syndrome, aphthous ulcers, etc., Yoga has also been found to have antiinflammatory, antianxiety effect, and also a lot of other beneficial effects. This review emphasizes on the relevance of yoga in the dental profession, from the practitioners, students, and patients viewpoint. Data pertaining to the subject was obtained after a thorough search of the PubMed literature and Google search engine.

Mind-Body Approaches to Prevention and Intervention for Alcohol and Other Drug Use/Abuse in Young Adults

Alcohol and other drug (AOD) misuse is highly prevalent among young adults and creates myriad long-term problematic social, economic, and health consequences. Current treatments aimed at preventing or alleviating AOD misuse have demonstrated fairly inconsistent and weak effectiveness and, thus, are far from a complete solution. In this review, we describe the current state of AOD interventions for young adults and present an alternative emotion regulation framework for understanding AOD use/misuse. We then describe implications of this framework for interventions to promote healthier emotion regulation to successfully reduce AOD use/misuse. In particular, we assert that mind⁻body approaches, such as meditation, distress tolerance, and yoga, may promote emotion regulation skills that allow young adults to manage their stressful experiences and distressing emotions without AOD use. We review the available literature on mind⁻body interventions targeting AOD use/misuse in young adults and offer suggestions for future intervention development and research.