My friend and yoga teacher, Kris, asked me to do some research on the benefits of yoga and mindfulness. Many people do not know that the two go together (and for those of you who do know this, kudos to you; you're on your way to bliss).
My personal journey with yoga began in 2007, with an online purchase of an Introduction
to Yoga DVD (if you'd like to know the exact video, post a comment and I'll happily respond, but since this isn't a tribute to online shopping or yoga DVD's, I'll keep it on the topic).
I began with poses such as Warriors I and II, and harder poses (asanas) like "bow pose" (look it up on YouTube). I realized a couple things: I don't like backbend-y poses, and I don't like being in positions that are uncomfortable for me. My response to these things is to avoid them altogether, or force my way into them. Neither is balance-inducing.
I acquired a couple of other DVD's along the way, but the true turnaround was when I started practicing with Kris in November of 2014. Our tight group of yogis had humor, lack of focus (at least, initially), and a willingness to learn. Kris, in turn, had humor to match, and an equally quick-witted way to get us back on track. We progressed. We kept a core group of yogis, and along the way, I learned from Kris the most poignant message thus far in my journey: "What you do on the mat, you take off the mat." (copyright (c) 2014, Kris; but really, I didn't come up with this).
I learned crow, bird of paradise, headstand (that I can hold for at least 2 minutes now - this is progress), and transitioned to crow-to-headstand. I was able to demonstrate this in class - which is phenomenal for me. It became a practice of teaching myself my limits - and not pushing myself too far past those limits, being patient with myself (and others), and being courageous. I'll never forget my long-time friend arriving for the class after ours and her astonished face. "What are you doing here?" she asked me. A little confused, I said I was there for the yoga class, at which time she informed me I had told her a year previous that I hated yoga. Wow. I don't know what ever prompted me to say that in the first place, but I imagine it was related to my distaste for all things uncomfortable (that could be its own blog post, but I digress).
So, since this post isn't technically about me, I'll move onto the research. It's not APA format, my collegiate friends. And it's not a paper, it's just an outline. But I thought it would be helpful information and give some guide points for future research on your own.
Without further adieu:
My personal journey with yoga began in 2007, with an online purchase of an Introduction
to Yoga DVD (if you'd like to know the exact video, post a comment and I'll happily respond, but since this isn't a tribute to online shopping or yoga DVD's, I'll keep it on the topic).
I began with poses such as Warriors I and II, and harder poses (asanas) like "bow pose" (look it up on YouTube). I realized a couple things: I don't like backbend-y poses, and I don't like being in positions that are uncomfortable for me. My response to these things is to avoid them altogether, or force my way into them. Neither is balance-inducing.
I acquired a couple of other DVD's along the way, but the true turnaround was when I started practicing with Kris in November of 2014. Our tight group of yogis had humor, lack of focus (at least, initially), and a willingness to learn. Kris, in turn, had humor to match, and an equally quick-witted way to get us back on track. We progressed. We kept a core group of yogis, and along the way, I learned from Kris the most poignant message thus far in my journey: "What you do on the mat, you take off the mat." (copyright (c) 2014, Kris; but really, I didn't come up with this).
I learned crow, bird of paradise, headstand (that I can hold for at least 2 minutes now - this is progress), and transitioned to crow-to-headstand. I was able to demonstrate this in class - which is phenomenal for me. It became a practice of teaching myself my limits - and not pushing myself too far past those limits, being patient with myself (and others), and being courageous. I'll never forget my long-time friend arriving for the class after ours and her astonished face. "What are you doing here?" she asked me. A little confused, I said I was there for the yoga class, at which time she informed me I had told her a year previous that I hated yoga. Wow. I don't know what ever prompted me to say that in the first place, but I imagine it was related to my distaste for all things uncomfortable (that could be its own blog post, but I digress).
So, since this post isn't technically about me, I'll move onto the research. It's not APA format, my collegiate friends. And it's not a paper, it's just an outline. But I thought it would be helpful information and give some guide points for future research on your own.
Without further adieu:
Yoga
benefits
Overview:
Yoga
and mindfulness, by association, are based on the concept of integration of the
mind-body connection; by keeping the practitioner mindful, this in turn reduces
emotional responsivity to internal or external triggers. The result is a direct
impact on physiological response to environmental stressors, which influences
physical health, emotional health, and spiritual connectedness (for those
interested in these benefits).
1. Physical stress response
■ Breathing; typically short and shallow when a
person is stressed
►Increased
CO2/ decrease O2 effects:
○ CO2 can induce: Visual disturbances -
Headache - Reduction in reasoning ability
- A sense of “air hunger” or dyspnea (asphyxiation); In other words, if a person "forgets" to be mindful of their breath, the
body thinks it is choking to death; the reduction in reasoning ability suggests
that yoga and connected breathing sequences would enhance reasoning ability,
and consequently, decision-making capability.
■ Stress response and fatigue
►Increased
cortisol levels -- the effects of this response include:
○ Weight gain
○ Decrease in immune system function
○ Memory impairment
2. Short-term
"fixes"
■ Alcohol Use and Abuse (once-a-month bingeing to daily use)
►Short-term effect: decrease in perceived stress (the
body continues to react as if stress level had not changed though; this is a cognitive
change or an illusion the mind creates)
►Long-term effect: raised cortisol levels
■ Caffeine Use and Abuse (yes, you can abuse caffeine; it's now in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual's latest version)
►Short-term effect: increases the perceived wakefulness of the consumer
►Long-term effect: raises cortisol levels
» Think of it this way: “Short-term pain, long-term happiness; short-term happiness, long-term pain.” «
Physical body benefits of yoga and meditation
1. Body systems affected: nervous system,
respiratory system, cardiovascular system, diabetes, cancer, immunity, and the
list goes on.
■ Specific examples of effects on certain body systems
►Diabetes/Blood
sugar
○ Postures that stimulate the pancreas lead to
renewed ability of pancreas to manufacture insulin and increased insulin
sensitivity.
∙ This suggests that we may benefit non-diabetic patients by
increasing productivity and efficiency of the pancreas (which reacts when we
eat) through yoga practice.
►Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Processes
○ Transcendental Meditation (TM): increases
melatonin production (melatonin is often a supplement taken to enhance sleepiness, but is actually produced by the body naturally, if given proper rest and support)
► Response
time
○ Meditation, in general, increases the speed of
attention location/relocation (decreasing response time and increasing
information processing efficiency)
► Mind-body connection
○ Increase in the mind's ability to focus on the present (mindfulness)
Introduction
and overview of mindfulness
» "A family of self-regulation practices that
focus on training attention and awareness in order to bring mental processes
under greater voluntary control and thereby foster general mental well-being
and development and/or specific capacities such as calm, clarity, and
concentration (Walsh & Shapiro, 2006, p. 228).”
» Mindfulness meditation (in contrast to other
forms of meditation) “has been shown to stimulate the middle prefrontal brain
associated with both self-observation and metacognition (Cahn & Polich,
2006; Siegel, 2007b) and foster specific attentional mechanisms (Valentine
& Sweet, 1999).”
Empirically-supported
benefits of mindfulness and regular yoga practice
» Emotional Regulation (based on Mindfulness-Based
Stress Reduction treatment, or MBSR)
1. Benefits
a. Decreased reactivity to internal and external stimuli
b. Interpersonal benefits
c. Intrapersonal benefits (those that occur within the self and relationship with the self)
› Studies suggest a detached frame of mind results
from mindfulness practice, stopping the trigger-thought-craving-use cycle, which is the addiction cycle (sugar counts, too!)
› If a “lapse” occurs (i.e., a “slip”), acceptance
that is learned through practicing mindfulness regularly may reduce making a negative situation worse and may
reduce the resulting shame/blame, which helps the person get back on track more quickly to recovery.
» Clinical Research Studies
1. University of Utah study; correlation between physical changes and yoga practice
a. 12
yogis; 14 fibromyalgia patients; 16 healthy volunteers
b. Fibromyalgia
patients tend to perceive pain with less stimulus than those without fibromyalgia
2. German study performed in 2005 with 24 “emotionally distressed” women
a. Effects of yoga practice on stress, depression, anxiety; yoga practice two times per week at 90-minute sessions
› Depression
scores: improved by 50%
› Anxiety
scores: improved by 30%
› Overall
well-being: improved by 65%
› Somatic
complaints such as headaches, back pain, and poor sleep: higher resolution rate (no specific measurement available)
3. Descriptive 2005 study, New Hampshire;
inpatients, 113 participants with bipolar disorder, major depression, and schizophrenia
a. Short
term positive effects: decrease in scores on tension, anxiety, depression, anger,
hostility, and fatigue (during a Profile of Mood states) – (FYI: a state is changeable; a
trait is static)
b. Improves quality of life for elderly, dementia caregivers, breast cancer survivors, epilepsy patients
4. Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY): cyclical breathing study with 45 participants who were inpatient clients receiving treatment for depression
a. Description of yoga "treatment"
∙ 3 0 minutes, 6 times per week for 4 weeks
∙ The yoga group outcomes were compared to ECT and tricyclic antidepressant
∙∙ Remission rates per group: 93% ECT; 73% antidepressant; 67% breathing
5. Study of 60 alcohol dependent men; 1-week detox, 2-week SKY
a. SKY group treatment compared to alcoholism treatment
∙ Results included:
∙∙ A drop in depression scores: 75% in SKY group vs. 60% in tx group
∙∙ Decrease in both cortisol and corticotropin (the chemical that “boosts” cortisol production) in the SKY group, but not in the treatment group
PTSD and comorbidity with substance use and/or abuse
Substance use is often accompanied by trauma; though it may not result in clinical PTSD (e.g., a diagnosis), but can have long-lasting effects that mimic this disorder due to the environment the user allows themselves to interact with to acquire and use and/or abuse drugs and alcohol.
There is a perception by the patient that past traumatic experiences are occurring in the here-and-now based on being triggered by cues that are similar to the original event (often flashbacks, loud noises or other environmental factors)
The traumatic memory is triggered more easily due to its storage in the short-term memory system.
Future research directions:
§ FACT: 20% war veterans are diagnosed with PTSD
§ Disabled Australian Vietnam veterans w/PTSD study; alcohol and antidepressants
· 5-day course of: breathing techniques, yoga, stress-reduction education, guided meditation
· Pre-tx ranking via CAPS (Clinician Administered PTSD Scale); rates symptom severity
o Post-tx ranking at 6 weeks and 6 months dropped from average of moderate/severe symptoms to mild/moderate while the control group (who remained on the waiting list) experienced no improvement.
§ Mindfulness Study:
· Outcome: lower rates of substance use per 4-month post-intervention period measures.
o Lower rates of craving, increase in acceptance and mindful action.
b. Improves quality of life for elderly, dementia caregivers, breast cancer survivors, epilepsy patients
4. Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY): cyclical breathing study with 45 participants who were inpatient clients receiving treatment for depression
∙ The yoga group outcomes were compared to ECT and tricyclic antidepressant
∙∙ Remission rates per group: 93% ECT; 73% antidepressant; 67% breathing
5. Study of 60 alcohol dependent men; 1-week detox, 2-week SKY
a. SKY group treatment compared to alcoholism treatment
∙ Results included:
∙∙ A drop in depression scores: 75% in SKY group vs. 60% in tx group
∙∙ Decrease in both cortisol and corticotropin (the chemical that “boosts” cortisol production) in the SKY group, but not in the treatment group
PTSD and comorbidity with substance use and/or abuse
Substance use is often accompanied by trauma; though it may not result in clinical PTSD (e.g., a diagnosis), but can have long-lasting effects that mimic this disorder due to the environment the user allows themselves to interact with to acquire and use and/or abuse drugs and alcohol.
There is a perception by the patient that past traumatic experiences are occurring in the here-and-now based on being triggered by cues that are similar to the original event (often flashbacks, loud noises or other environmental factors)
The traumatic memory is triggered more easily due to its storage in the short-term memory system.
Future research directions:
§ FACT: 20% war veterans are diagnosed with PTSD
§ Disabled Australian Vietnam veterans w/PTSD study; alcohol and antidepressants
· 5-day course of: breathing techniques, yoga, stress-reduction education, guided meditation
· Pre-tx ranking via CAPS (Clinician Administered PTSD Scale); rates symptom severity
o Post-tx ranking at 6 weeks and 6 months dropped from average of moderate/severe symptoms to mild/moderate while the control group (who remained on the waiting list) experienced no improvement.
§ Mindfulness Study:
· Outcome: lower rates of substance use per 4-month post-intervention period measures.
o Lower rates of craving, increase in acceptance and mindful action.
REFERENCES
∙Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical
School, “Yoga for anxiety and depression” (Harvard Mental Health letter), April
1, 2009. http://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/yoga-for-anxiety-and-depression
∙Bowen, S., Chawla, N., Collins, S. E.,
Witkiewitz, K., Hsu, S., Grow, J., … Marlatt, A. (2009). Mindfulness-Based
Relapse Prevention for Substance Use Disorders: A Pilot Efficacy Trial. Substance
Abuse, 30(4), 295–305. http://doi.org/10.1080/08897070903250084
∙Dartmouth
Undergraduate Journal of Science, “The Physiology of Stress: Cortisol and the
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis” (Posted by Michael Randall ’12), Fall
2010, http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/fall-2010/the-physiology-of-stress-cortisol-and-the-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis#.Vh6UAXpViko
∙Physiological Responses to Oxygen and Carbon
Dioxide in the Breathing Environment, W. Jon Williams, Ph.D. National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health, USA NIOSH Public Meeting September 17,
2009, Pittsburgh, PA
∙Balaji, P. A., Varne, S. R., & Ali, S. S.
(2012). Physiological Effects of Yogic Practices and Transcendental Meditation
in Health and Disease. North American Journal of Medical Sciences, 4(10),
442–448. http://doi.org/10.4103/1947-2714.101980
►In progress (and taken word-for-word):
Practically speaking, you do your brain-body a lot of
good. Among the benefits of TM:
·
It’s the only meditation practice
shown to lower blood pressure.
·
The practice can help increase insulin resistance.
·
TM is the most effective meditation
technique to slow
biological aging (my
favorite!).
·
It can also ease feelings of anxiety in people with anxiety disorders.
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