The Origin and Clinical Relevance of Yoga Nidra.

Yoga nidra, also known as 'yogic sleep', is a simplified form of an ancient tantric relaxation technique. The most general description of the practice is that it combines guided mental imagery with a specific yoga posture called Shavasana (or "corpse pose"). The goal of yoga nidra is to promote a profound state of relaxation, which differs from sleep inasmuch as there is still an awareness of one's surroundings. While several components of the practice have been known since ancient times, it was not until the 1960s that an updated and systematized system of practice was introduced to the public through the writings of Swami Satyananda Saraswati. Unlike other schools of yoga, which emphasize concentration or contemplation, yoga nidra's goal is complete relaxation. As such, its advocates claim that it is suitable for all individuals, from beginners to advanced practitioners of yoga. The calm inner stillness induced by yoga nidra is claimed by practitioners to be an effective stress management tool as well as a means for attaining greater receptivity to personal resolutions. These resolutions can range from the goal of achieving self-transformation, enhancing creativity, or improving one's learning ability. Additionally, yoga nidra is claimed to promote beneficial changes in physiological and mental health. The following narrative review summarizes the basic steps used to achieve the final state of yoga nidra relaxation as well as some recent experimental findings regarding its physiological and psychological effects. Standard research databases were searched for relevant articles. Clinical studies have shown that yoga nidra meditation is associated with positive physiological changes, including improvements in several hematological variables, red blood cell counts, blood glucose levels, and hormonal status. Two neuroimaging studies have shown that yoga nidra produces changes in endogenous dopamine release and cerebral blood flow, a further confirmation that its effects on the CNS are objectively measurable. The practice has also been shown to reduce psychometrically measured indices of mild depression and anxiety, although these benefits were not shown in an experimental study to extend to severe depression or severe anxiety.

Psycho-Biological Changes with Add on Yoga Nidra in Patients with Menstrual Disorders: a Randomized Clinical Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Menstrual disorders are common problems among women in the reproductive age group. Yuga interventions may decrease the physical and psychological problems related to menstrual disorders. The present study was aimed to assess the effect of Yoga Nidra on psychological problems in patients with menstrual disorders. METHODS: A total number of 100 women recruited from the department of obstetrics and gynecology and were then randomly allocated into two groups: a) intervention received yogic intervention and medication for 6 month, and b) control group received no yogic intervention and they only received prescribed medication). Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI) and hormonal profile were assessed at the time of before and after six months on both groups. RESULTS: The mean score of anxiety, depression, positive well-being, general health, and vitality scores, as well as hormonal levels, in posttest were significantly different in intervention group as compared with pretest. But there was no significant difference in control group. CONCLUSION: Yoga Nidra can be a successful therapy to overcome the psychiatric morbidity associated with menstrual irregularities. Therefore, Yogic relaxation training (Yoga Nidra) could be prescribed as an adjunct to conventional drug therapy for menstrual dysfunction.

Impact of Yoga Nidra on menstrual abnormalities in females of reproductive age.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to observe the effect of Yoga Nidra practice on hormone levels in patients who had menstrual irregularities. DESIGN: The study was a randomized controlled trial. SETTINGS/LOCATION: The study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Medical University, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, India. SUBJECTS were divided randomly into 2 groups-an intervention and a control group, with 75 subjects in each group. Of these subjects, 126 completed the study protocol. SUBJECTS: This study involved 150 subjects with menstrual irregularities; 126 of whom completed the protocol. INTERVENTIONS: The intervention was the practice of Yoga Nidra. The yogic intervention duration was 35-40 minutes/day, five times/week for 6 months. An estimation of hormonal profile was done for both groups at baseline and after 6 months. RESULTS: Thyroid-stimulating hormone (p<0.002), follicle-stimulating hormone (p<0.02), luteinizing hormone (p<0.001), and prolactin (p<0.02) were decreased significantly in the intervention group, compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated the efficacy of Yoga Nidra on hormone profiles in patients with menstrual irregularities. Yoga Nidra practice was helpful in patients with hormone imbalances, such as dysmenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, and hypomenorrhea.

Yoga Nidra as a complementary treatment of anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with menstrual disorder.

BACKGROUND: Emotional insecurity, stress, depressive or/and anxiety symptoms are common with variable severity among patients with menstrual disorder. Yogic relaxation therapy (Yoga Nidra) leads to conscious and subconscious recognition of these underlying psychological factors and helps releasing of suppressed conflicts. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Yoga Nidra on anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with menstrual disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects were recruited from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, C.S.M. Medical University (erstwhile KGMU), Lucknow Uttar Pradesh, India. The subjects were randomly divided in to two groups: Intervention group (with yogic intervention) and control group (without yogic intervention). Assessments of all subjects were carried out by administering Hamilton anxiety scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAM-D) at baseline and after six months. RESULTS: The mean age with S.D of the intervention group was 27.67 ± 7.85 years, and for control group was 26.58 ± 6.87 years (among completed intervention group nn = 65 and control group nn = 61). There was significant reduction of scores in HAM-A (P<0.003) and HAM-D (P<0.02) respectively in subjects with mild to moderate anxiety and depressive symptoms after six months of yoga therapy (Yoga Nidra) in intervention group in comparison to control group. CONCLUSION: The patients with mild to moderate anxiety and depressive symptoms improve significantly with 'Yoga Nidra' intervention. There is no significant improvement in the patients with severe anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Effect of Yoga Nidra on physiological variables in patients of menstrual disturbances of reproductive age group.

Aim of this study was to see any effect on autonomic functions in menstrual disturbances patients after Yoga Nidra practice. The subjects for the study were 150 females with menstrual irregularities, 28.08 +/- 7.43 years of mean age, referred from department of Obstetrics and Gynecology CSMMU, UP, Lucknow. Subjects were divided randomly in to two groups' intervention and in control groups -seventy five (75) in each group. Out of these, one hundred twenty six (126) completed the study protocol. The yogic intervention consisted of 35-40 minutes/day, five days in a week till six months. An autonomic function testing was done in both the groups at zero time and after six months. A significant positive effect was observed when yoga therapy was used as an adjunct in the patients of menstrual disturbances. There were significant improvements in the blood pressure, postural hypotension and sustained hand grip, heart rate expiration inspiration ratio and 30:15 beat ratios of the subjects after yogic practice.

Impact of Yoga Nidra on psychological general wellbeing in patients with menstrual irregularities: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Yogic relaxation therapy (Yoga Nidra) has been effectively prescribed in conjunction with other medical and yogic procedures in the management of severe psychosomatic diseases, including cancer, bronchial asthma, colitis, peptic ulcer and menstrual irregularities. AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess the impact of Yoga Nidra on psychological problems in patients with menstrual disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were recruited from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, C.S.M. Medical University (erstwhile KGMU), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. A total of 150 female subjects were randomly divided into two groups: 1) group of 75 subjects (with yogic intervention) and 2) a control group of 75 subjects (without yogic intervention). Assessment of psychological general wellbeing (tool) was used for all the subjects Assessment of psychological general well being (tool) was used for all the subjects (Cases and controls). This assessment was done twice first time in the beginning (baseline) and then after six months. RESULTS: Anxiety decreased significantly (P<0.003) and depression decreased significantly (P<0.01) in the Yoga group. Positive wellbeing and general health improved significantly (P<0.02), and vitality improved significantly (P<0.01) after six months of Yoga therapy (Yoga Nidra) in the Yoga group compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: The current findings suggest that patients with menstrual irregularities having psychological problems improved significantly in the areas of their wellbeing, anxiety and depression by learning and applying a program based on Yogic intervention (Yoga Nidra).

Effect of yogic practices on lipid profile and body fat composition in patients of coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect of regular yogic practices and self-discipline in reducing body fat and elevated lipids in CAD patients. METHOD: In this study one hundred seventy (170) subjects, of both sexes having coronary artery disease were randomly selected form Department of Cardiology. Subjects were divided in to two groups randomly in yoga group and in non-yoga group, eighty five (85) in each group. Out of these (170 subjects), one hundred fifty four (154) completed the study protocol. TIME LINE: The yogic intervention consisted of 35-40 min/day, five days in a week till six months in the Department of Physiology CSMMU UP Lucknow. Body fat testing and estimation of lipid profile were done of the both groups at zero time and after six months of yogic intervention in yoga group and without yogic intervention in non yoga group. RESULTS: In present study, BMI (p<0.04), fat % (p<0.0002), fat free mass (p<0.04), SBP (p<0.002), DBP (p<0.009), heart rate (p<0.0001), total cholesterol (p<0.0001), triglycerides (p<0.0001), HDL (p<0.0001) and low density lipoprotein (p<0.04) were changed significantly. CONCLUSION: Reduction of SBP, DBP, heart rate, body fat%, total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL after regular yogic practices is beneficial for cardiac and hypertensive patients. Therefore yogic practices included in this study are helpful for the patients of coronary artery disease.

Six-month trial of Yoga Nidra in menstrual disorder patients: Effects on somatoform symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Yoga Nidra is a successful therapy for both recent and long-standing psychological disturbances of all kinds especially depression and high anxiety level and neurotic patterns. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present work, therefore, was to conduct a preliminary randomized study of Yoga Nidra as a treatment in the patients of menstrual disorders with somatoform symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were recruited from Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, CSM Medical University (erstwhile KGMU) Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. One hundred and fifty female patients with menstrual disorders were randomly divided in to two groups 1- Intervention group: 75 subjects (Yoga Nidra intervention and medication) 2- control group: 75 subjects (without Yoga Nidra intervention only medication). Schedule for clinical assessment in neuropsychiatry tool was used. RESULTS: There was significant improvement in pain symptoms (P<0.006), gastrointestinal symptoms (P<0.04), cardiovascular symptoms (P<0.02) and urogenital symptoms (P<0.005) after 6 months of Yoga Nidra therapy in Intervention group in comparison to control group. CONCLUSION: Yoga Nidra appears to be a promising intervention for psychosomatic problems. It is cost-effective and easy to implement. The results indicate that somatoform symptoms in patients with menstrual disorder can be decreased by learning and applying a program based on Yogic intervention (Yoga Nidra).

Chromatographic estimation of p-coumaric acid and triacontanol in an Ayurvedic root drug patala (Stereospermum suaveolens Roxb.).

A high-performance thin layer chromatographic method has been established for the identification and standardization of Stereospermum suaveolens extracts using two active biomarkers viz. triacontanol and p-coumaric acid in root samples collected from different geographical locations of India. These marker components have different therapeutic activities: p-coumaric acid is a good antioxidant and also has anti-diabetic properties; triacontanol has anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer properties. Studies on root as well as stem samples showed characteristic bands of triacontanol and p-coumaric acid at R(f) 0.51 and 0.42, respectively. The amount of triacontanol varied from 0.035-8.472 mg/g in the root samples while the amount of p-coumaric acid was in the range 0.081-0.203 mg/g. The limit of detection for triacontanol was 100 ng/spot whereas that for p-coumaric acid was 10 ng/spot.