Health benefits of yoga

Benefits, barriers, and cues to action of yoga practice: a focus group approach.

OBJECTIVES To explore perceived benefits, barriers, and cues to action of yoga practice among adults. METHODS Focus groups were conducted with persons who had never practiced yoga, practitioners of one year or less, and practitioners for more than one year. The Health Belief Model was the theoretical foundation of inquiry. RESULTS All participants acknowledged a variety of benefits of yoga....

Individualized Yoga for Reducing Depression and Anxiety, and Improving Well-being: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND Depression and anxiety are leading causes of disability worldwide. Current treatments are primarily pharmaceutical and psychological. Questions remain about effectiveness and suitability for different people. Previous research suggests potential benefits of yoga for reducing depression and anxiety. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of an individualized yoga interven...

The health benefits of yoga and exercise: a review of comparison studies.

OBJECTIVES Exercise is considered an acceptable method for improving and maintaining physical and emotional health. A growing body of evidence supports the belief that yoga benefits physical and mental health via down-regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The purpose of this article is to provide a scholarly review of the literatur...

Health benefits of yoga

Yoga in Australia: Results of a national survey

INTRODUCTION The therapeutic benefits of yoga and meditation are well documented, yet little is known about the practice of yoga in Australia or elsewhere, whether as a physical activity, a form of therapy, a spiritual path or a lifestyle. MATERIALS AND METHODS To investigate the practice of yoga in Australia, a national survey of yoga practitioners was conducted utilizing a comprehensive web...