Use of Yoga in India During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Patient Based Survey.

No Abstract available.

A Comparison of Practice Guidelines for Yoga Breathing from the Traditional Texts and PubMed-Indexed Research.

Volitional yoga breathing techniques influence several physiological functions depending on the changes made in depth of breathing, relative duration of exhalation to inhalation, and breath frequency. The practice guidelines for three routinely practiced and researched yoga breathing practices (bhastrika pranayama [bellows breath], bhramari pranayama [bee breath], and kapalabhati pranayama [breath of fire]) were compared between the traditional written texts (i.e., Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita) and published research indexed in PubMed (a total of 73 studies; 25 on bhastrika pranayama, 17 on bhramari pranayama, and 31 on kapalabhati pranayama). We compared the specifications for posture, time of day, location, and duration of practice; frequency, depth, and holding (kumbhaka) of the breath; speed and/or force and right or left nostril use for inhalation and exhalation; duration of inhalation relative to exhalation; thoracic or diaphragmatic breathing (or comparable terms in the traditional texts); mental state; physiological locks (bandhas) ; and hand gestures (mudras). Differences between the practice guidelines in the traditional texts and published research with respect to the depth of b reathing (bhastrika pranayama), relative breath phase duration (bhramari pranayama), and breath frequency (kapalabhati pranayama) are presented despite the findings being restricted to published studies from a single bibliographic database. Differences in the way yoga breathing is practiced could influence the physiological effects obtained, and differences between methods reported in published studies could make it difficult to summarize the effects of yoga breathing practice across studies.

Yoga instructors' reported benefits and disadvantages associated with functioning online: A convenience sampling survey.

BACKGROUND: Among numerous changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, most yoga classes have repositioned online. However benefits, difficulties and satisfaction of teaching yoga online remain to be studied. With this background the present survey aimed to determine: (i) benefits, disadvantages and satisfaction of teaching yoga online and (ii) their association with characteristics related to (a) socio-demographic, (b) online yoga teaching experience and (c) yoga practice. METHODS: Three hundred and five yoga instructors were invited to take part in the online survey. Of these, 181 (m:f = 98:83) responded to the survey satisfactorily and were included. RESULTS: The three most common benefits of teaching yoga online were: (i) a sense of safety from risk of COVID-19 (93.92%), (ii) cost saving (82.87%) and (iii) wider access to trainees within India (77.90%). The three most common disadvantages were: (i) technical difficulties (74.03%), (ii) missing in-person contact (63.90%) and (iii) concern that online instructions can lead to injury (59.16%). Around 66.30% respondents were satisfied with the monitoring of trainees during online yoga classes while 70.16% respondents were satisfied with the level of attention they could pay to the topic they were teaching during online yoga class. The benefits and disadvantages of teaching yoga online varied with the characteristics of yoga instructors (p < 0.05, χ2 test). CONCLUSIONS: The benefits and disadvantages of teaching yoga online are of relevance during and beyond the pandemic. Characteristics related to (i) socio-demographics, (ii) online yoga teaching and (iii) yoga practice influence reported benefits and disadvantages of teaching yoga online.

Body Temperature and Energy Expenditure During and After Yoga Breathing Practices Traditionally Described as Cooling.

BACKGROUND In traditional yoga texts, sheetali and sitkari pranayamas are described as cooling. The present study was aimed at recording the surface body temperature, oxygen consumed, and carbon dioxide eliminated before, during, and after performance of sheetali and sitkari pranayamas. MATERIAL AND METHODS Seventeen healthy male volunteers with ages between 19 to 25 years (average age 20.7±1.8 years) were assessed in 4 sessions, viz. sheetali pranayama, sitkari pranayama, breath awareness and quiet lying, on 4 separate days, in random sequence. The axillary surface body temperature (TRUSCOPE II, Schiller, China) and metabolic variables (Quark CPET, COSMED, Italy) were recorded in 3 periods: before (5 minutes), during (18 minutes), and after (5 minutes), in each of the 4 sessions. The heat index was calculated in the before and after periods, based on recordings of ambient temperature and humidity. Data were analyzed using SPSS (Version 24.0). RESULTS Body temperature increased significantly during sheetali and sitkari (p<0.05, p<0.01; respectively) while it decreased after breath awareness and quiet lying down (p<0.01, p<0.001; respectively) when compared with respective post-exercise states. Oxygen consumption increased by 9.0% during sheetali (p<0.05) and by 7.6% during sitkari (p<0.01) while it decreased significantly during (p<0.05) and after (p<0.01) quiet lying down compared to respective pre-exercise states. CONCLUSIONS The results do not support the description of these yoga breathing practices as cooling. These yoga breathing practices may be used to induce a mild hypermetabolic state.

The impact of yoga on teachers' self-rated emotions.

OBJECTIVES: To assess (i) if teachers' age or gender could predict their baseline levels of mental well-being and anxiety and any change after yoga. (ii) Whether mental well-being or anxiety changed following 15 days of yoga in primary school teachers. Primary school teachers took part in this single group longitudinal trial (n = 302, group mean age ± SD; 41.8 ± 5.90 years). They received 240 min of yoga practice and 120 min of yoga theory each day. At baseline and after 15 days of yoga the assessments were (i) mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh scale) and (ii) state anxiety (Spielberger's State Trait Anxiety Inventory). RESULTS: Gender acted as a significant predictor for mental well-being scores (P = 0.001) and state anxiety (P = 0.005) in the group at baseline. Females showed higher anxiety scores and lower mental well-being scores. Following yoga the teachers showed a significant increase in mental well-being by 5.84% and a decrease in state anxiety by 4.48%. Trial registration The trial was registered retrospectively (August 15, 2019; Trial Registration Number: ISRCTN90253431).

Effect of yoga on vigilance, self rated sleep and state anxiety in Border Security Force personnel in India.

BACKGROUND: Military occupations require heightened vigilance with resultant sleep disturbances, increased anxiety and reduced vigilance. OBJECTIVE: To compare yoga with physical training to reduce insomnia, anxiety and increase vigilance in security personnel. METHODS: One hundred and twelve Border Security Force personnel (BSF group, males; mean age±SD = 30.4±7.4 years) were compared with 112 personnel of a private security firm (SIS group). The BSF group received yoga for nine days and the SIS group received physical training for the same period. Assessments were at baseline and after 9 days, with the digit vigilance test (DVT), Spielberger's STAI-S, and a sleep rating questionnaire. RESULTS: (1) Between groups: (i) at baseline the BSF group had higher vigilance and more daytime naps compared to the SIS group and (ii) after nine days the SIS group had higher state anxiety compared to the BSF group (ANOVA, Bonferroni adjusted post-hoc comparisons; SPSS Version 24.0) (2) In post-pre intervention comparisons (i) the BSF group increased vigilance and decreased state anxiety after yoga, with improved sleep, while (ii) the SIS group showed increased vigilance after physical training. CONCLUSION: Yoga may improve sleep, reduce anxiety while increasing vigilance in occupations requiring vigilance.