Written by Dr. Sanjana V.B Bhms,dbrm,cdn

Founder & medical director of siahmsr wellness.in

All rights reserved with siahmsr digital healthcare[siahmsr wellness]

Reviewed by SIAHMSR medical team.

Health benefits of yoga

     The science of yoga is a more than 5000 years old ancient practice.  Since many centuries the health effects of yoga has been amazing for millions of people and the knowledge related to yoga has been transmitted through generations as an oral tradition and later as written texts to the subsequent generations. Patanjali’s yoga sutra was written in around 2^nd century BCE.

   Yoga is a spiritual discipline that focuses on harmonizing the mind and body. The word yoga is derived from Sanskrit word “Yuj “which means to join or unite. According to yogic scriptures, practice of yoga unites an individual’s consciousness with universal consciousness. That is the acme of concentration and meditation of yoga process.

   The science of yoga emerged around 1000years ago. Yoga has been an invaluable part of health rituals of sages of ancient India and the modern world also has accepted it wholeheartedly. In subsequent years there was emergence of many yoga exponents and they spread yoga and its benefit to the entire world with establishment of many yoga centers there.

    According to B.K.S.Iyengar, the renowned yoga exponent, father of modern yoga, founder of Iyengar yoga--

 “ yoga is a light which once lit, will never dim. The better your practice the brighter the flame”.

For more details on history of yoga & type of yoga please follow these links.

http://siahmsrwellness.in/history-concept-of-yoga  

http://siahmsrwellness.in/yoga-different-types

    With the advancement of yoga as a medical system scientific researches were conducted to understand, substantiate and document the health impacts or effects of yoga with ample evidence. Many current research studies have found that yoga is a very effective tool in managing various physical, psychological and psychiatric ailments.

    A few important health benefits of yoga are described here with research studies , their strength and limitations. The good effects of yoga is beyond what the researches could prove based on certain specific parameters . Yoga is an  incredible experience of sense of well-being which has to be understood and studied as a lifestyle in accordance with yogic diet and environment. However, study results recommend further extensive research  on a larger population sample and  it may help the strong evidence based application of yoga  for various types of ailments of current era as well as those morbidities which may arise in future.

·       Yoga helps in de- stressing

The modern era lifestyle is posing numerous health risk factors at multiple levels for causing stress and consequent mental and physical morbidities. Yoga is a perfect solution for de-stressing and relaxing the body and mind. A few yoga poses for destressing are pranayama.

According to a study published in the year 2018  [1 ,2] Yoga has an effective role in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression that can be considered as complementary medicine and reduce the cost of many  drugs  used for these morbidities

[Link for pranayama de stressing ]

·       Yoga may help in reducing anxiety ,depression & sleeplessness

Many studies show that yoga is effective in managing psychiatric ailments like anxiety, depression etc. and should be recommended as an adjuvant therapy.

While there are many aspects of yoga, there is also a need to examine more of the styles and specific aspects of yoga on depression. A research study shows the role of yoga in reducing anxiety and depression [9].

Yoga for mind relaxation

 http://siahmsrwellness.in/pranayama-for-de-stressing  

·       Yoga increases body flexibility

Yoga improves flexibility of body .It is very important for elderly people to practice yoga to maintain body flexibility. A 2019 research study [3] has found out the good effects of yoga in improving body flexibility in elderly people. Small to moderate significant effects favoring yoga were found for balance, lower body flexibility, lower limb strength, depression, perceived mental health, perceived physical health, sleep quality, and vitality. 

·       Yoga helps to improve quality of life

The World Health Organization defines quality of life (QOL) as an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns .

The researchers have viewed QOL as an important predictor of people’s longevity and patients’ likelihood of improvement when treated for a chronic illness or injury .

A research study [4] shows promising potential for yoga to improve QOL in people with chronic diseases. 

·       Yoga practice helps to boost your immunity

Chronic stress has detrimental effect on immune system. Chronic stress causes inflammations and low immunity. Yoga is effective in balancing the mind and body & boosting of immunity [5]. However, the current body of evidence is small and for most immune parameters, more research is required to draw distinct conclusions. 

·       Yoga improves balance

Yoga improves balancing power of your body, especially in old people who lose balance with ageing. Physical activity can promote healthy ageing and help maintain independence, yet many older adults are inactive.

Yoga is a form of physical activity that aims to improve health and may be particularly suitable for older adults. Balancing problem related to old age may or may not have detectible causes. Certain medications, inner ear problems, chronic alcohol intake, stress etc. may cause dizziness, vertigo, lightheadedness, disorientation related to imbalance.

Exercises have crucial role in managing imbalance along with some remedies. Chronic balance problem may affect your work performance and daily activities. The role of yoga in helping you in balance problem is shown by a research study [6]. Yoga interventions resulted in small improvements in balance and medium improvements in physical mobility in people aged 60+ years. Further research is required to determine whether yoga-related improvements in balance and mobility help in the prevention of falls in older people. 

·       Yoga for better posture

Bad posture can lead to compromised vertebrae alignment, pain and nerve compression. It can also lead to poor digestion, poor circulation, fatigue, breathing, impaired cardiovascular health, and impact on your mood.

A few yoga exercises or poses for improving posture are the following:.

§  Tiger Pose

§  Cat Cow pose

§  Cow Face pose

§  Cow Face With Eagle Arms.

§  Cobra pose

§  Seated Twist.

§   Virasana

A research study [7] in a multiple sclerosis patient with postural problem show that yoga helps in improving posture. Six-month yoga training is beneficial for people with MS, since it improves postural balance and decreases the influence of postural balance impairment on activities of daily living. A greater sample size is necessary to increase generalization, but it seems that yoga could be included as a feasible complementary therapy for people with MS. 

·       Yoga improves your brain functions& better cognition

Age is the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia or memory loss in older population. In the absence of any effective treatments to cure the disease or manage its symptoms, researchers have explored the potential of modifying lifestyle behaviors such as nutrition and physical activity in the management of senile memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease.

Yoga may be an alternative form of physical activity which may help not only older adults but also all the age groups who are prone to deteriorated brain function or memory loss and cognitive decline.

Studies [8]suggest that yoga practice may have an effect on the activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of brain while engaged in any mental work or cognitive tasks. The structure of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex- all regions known to show significant age-related changes. Yoga may help to mitigate age-related and neurodegenerative decline. Further extensive research studies are needed for understanding the effect of yoga on brain functions and degenerative changes more deeply. 

·       Yoga helps in strength building

Yoga has different variations and for gaining muscle strength power yoga is recommended. Hatha yoga is one of the best yoga practices for regaining muscle strength.

A study conducted on air force personnel found yoga to be an effective strength-building practice across many age groups of healthy participants [l4]. Practice of Hatha yoga is also helpful in preventing and attenuating age related deterioration of physical health, muscular strength and flexibility.

·       Yoga helps in weight loss & tummy reduction

Yoga is safe to population and can be recommended as a technique for combating abdominal obesity in women[10].Another study found that yoga reduces obesity and improves quality of life [11].  Another study, recently published in the journal Obesity found that yoga as part of a 6-month weight-loss program is doable for adults with obesity or overweight and may also be helpful for weight loss, with no differences seen between people practicing two distinct styles of yoga.

The study’s findings appear to support the potential inclusion of either restorative hatha or vinyasa yoga as part of a weight-loss program for treating obesity or overweight. The authors stress that additional research is needed to compare yoga with other forms of physical activity for its long-term effects on weight loss and related health outcomes.

  •   Yoga improves your heart health

   In addition to boosting fitness and easing stress, yoga may help you adopt yogic healthy  lifestyle. All these may help to prevent heart diseases.

Yoga practicing may lower blood pressure, better sleep, and less artery-damaging inflammation. The relaxing, meditative aspect of yoga can build up your emotional resilience and face stressful circumstances with ease.

Yoga practice cultivates a kind of "relaxation response," enabling you to be less reactive to stress and intense emotions. All these factors conjointly contribute to cardiovascular health and keep you safe. 

Research studies show that beyond off-loading stress, yoga may help lower your blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood glucose levels, and heart rate [14,15].

 •Yoga increases health of your muscles &bones

Osteoporosis and osteopenia affect up to 200 million people worldwide and the toll rises further as the population growing old. Osteoporosis leads to fractures of bones also; especially of hip and spine. Hip fracture is termed as a “sentinel event,” indicating a general and irreversible decline in many aspects of health.

Often ,certain medications themselves are associated with spontaneous fracture, atrial fibrillation [arrrythmia of heart ], slowed healing, gastric distress, osteonecrosis of bones. Yoga appears to raise BMD or bone mineral density in the spine and the femur safely[18].

In osteoporotic bone fractures bone mineral density is lowered considerably. The new study is helpful in cases of osteoporosis where many supportive and supplementary interventions are not giving any conspicuous results. Further extensive research on yoga is needed in this regard to use it in large number of people

 •Yoga improves your hormonal functions

Stress is an important factor in modern life which has a serious impact on health. With progressively decreasing sleep hours, psychological stress and depression, the occurrence of diabetes and metabolic syndrome have become common in the population.

Yoga is an alternative therapy for diabetes which provides not only physical but also psychological benefits. It improves blood glucose, lipid profiles and oxidative stress according to a research study [19,20]. Yet another study from India showed that cardiac autonomic functions improved in patients with diabetes who followed the comprehensive yogic breathing program.

·       Clinical yoga helps in specific disease management

Link to clinical yoga 

·       Benefits of  doing Yoga During Pregnancy

Ø Endurance of pelvic muscles needed for childbirth or labour

Ø Alleviation of lower back pain, nausea, and headaches

Ø Reduced shortness of breath

Ø Improves sleep quality

Ø Relieves overall stress

.

References

1.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22502620/

2.    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5843960/

3.    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4728955/

4.    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2952119/

5.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29429046/

6.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26707903/

7.    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1550830716300672?via%3Dihub

8.    http://indianyoga.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/v2-issue1-article4.pdf

9.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26181774/

10.        https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cncr.31556

11.        https://www.who.int/toolkits/whoqol

12.        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3995122

13.        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5098025/

14.        https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/how-yoga-may-enhance-heart-health

15.       https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6971819/#:~:text=Studies%20suggest%20that%20yoga%20practice,changes%20%5B65%2C%2066%5D.

16.        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4223195/

17.        https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9401632/

18.        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4223195/

19.        https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/research-results/study-sees-beneficial-role-of-yoga-in-weight-loss-program-for-adults-with-obesity-or-overweight#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20new%20study,two%20distinct%20styles%20of%20yoga.

20.        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4851231/

21.        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4366792/   

22.        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2390515/

23.        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3712380/