Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2005; 10: 37
Mental distress is an increasing public health problem and Iyengar yoga has been claimed to induce stress reduction and empowerment in practicing subjects. We aimed to evaluate potential effects of Iyengar yoga on perceived stress and associated psychological and physical outcomes in mentally distressed women.
A controlled prospective non-randomised pilot study was conducted in 24 self-referred female subjects (mean age 37.9 ± 7.3 years) who perceived themselves as mentally distressed. Subjects were offered participation in one of two subsequent 3-month yoga programmes. Group 1 (n = 16) participated in the first class, group 2 (n = 8) started yoga after completion of the first group and served as a waiting list control. Subjects in the yoga group attended two 90-min Iyengar yoga classes each week for 12 consecutive weeks. Outcome was assessed at entry and after 3 months by Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Profile of Mood States, the CESD Depression Scale, Bf-S/Bf-S Well-Being Scales, ratings of physical well-being and the Freiburg complaint list.
Compared to the control, yoga-participating subjects demonstrated significant improvements in perceived stress (P = 0.018), State–Trait Anxiety (P = 0.019; P < 0.01), well-being (P < 0.01), vigour (P= 0.016), fatigue (P = 0.016) and depression (P = 0.046). Physical well-being increased (P < 0.01) and subjects suffering from headache or back pain experienced pain relief (P < 0.01 and P = 0.055).
Iyengar yoga seems to offer considerable promise to subjects suffering mental distress and merits further research in prevention and treatment of stress-related disease.
The study was funded by the Carstens Foundation, Essen, Germany.
