Health Benefits of Yoga
Shelley Sidelman, Yoga Therapist––R.Y.T. 500, Syosset, New York
Introduction
What do you think of when you hear the word yoga? Unfortunately, even in 2009, the image of “pretzel postures” still comes to mind for many people. Erase that thought, because yoga is actually a soft and gentle therapy that can be therapeutic for everyone. Yoga has become an increasingly utilized way of increasing physical activity and overall good health. This feature article is divided into three parts: first yoga will be defined; then research studies (although limited in number) that have been conducted will be reviewed; followed by description of some basic yoga techniques and how one can get started. Please remember to always check with your physician and get approval before starting any new exercise program like yoga.
Part 1: What is Yoga?
The word yoga comes from Sanskrit, one of the two classical Indian languages. It means union, yoke, or connection; hence, the phrase “mind, body, and spirit.” Yoga involves meditation, mindfulness, breathing, and activity or postures. It is one of several types of mind-body therapies. These therapies focus on the interactions between the brain, body, and behavior, and their effect on health and disease. Many of the techniques are associated with relaxation, and thus may be helpful for disorders in which psychological stress is a factor. Mind–body approaches encompass a large group of therapies such as hypnosis, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, tai chi, and visual imagery. (Wahbeh, Elsas, & Oken, 2008) Mind–body therapies, including yoga, have low physical and emotional risk, are relatively low cost, and allow people to take a more active role in the management of their multiple sclerosis (MS).
In theory, when yoga participants make the mind-body connection, they become more aware of how they feel and understand how mental and emotional status affects how they feel physically, and vice versa. One of the central benefits of yoga is the feeling of connection between ourselves and others; this connected feeling brings balance to life. Dr. Richard Usatine, associate dean of Medical Education at the FSU College of Medicine, stated in his book Yoga Rx that “Yoga can be as important as any medication. This is a lifestyle change. This is a way to improve the quality of your life” (Payne & Usatine, 2002). It combines simple breathing, relaxation and stretching techniques in an easy to follow adaptive yoga program and can be done sitting, standing, or even lying in bed.
Part 2: Research Findings
Yoga participants typically report feeling energized, less fatigued, and more relaxed after a yoga class. Several research studies support the concept that simple yoga techniques incorporating breathing exercises offer people a way to help themselves get through their day more easily (Oken, 2004).
The participants of a 3-month study of 24 women who practiced yoga showed significant improvement in lowering their anxiety, perceived stress, and depression. (Michaelsen et al., 2005). Although this study involved with people who did not have MS, these benefits and more (balance, feeling better about themselves—which is ego strengthening), are likely to apply to people with MS as well.
In 2004, Oken and colleagues studied the effects of yoga versus exercise in a 6-month clinical trial of 69 participants. Subjects were assigned to either a yoga intervention or stationary bicycle exercise group. The yoga group showed significant improvement in measures of fatigue compared to a wait-list (no intervention) control group, and the improvement was comparable to the exercise using a stationary bicycle group. Twelve subjects did not finish the 6-month intervention. There were no adverse events, indicating that both yoga and the stationary bicycle were well-tolerated by participants. Neither of the active interventions affected attention, alertness, or cognition, and both improved fatigue. No clear changes in mood related to yoga or exercise were found. The conclusions from this study were that persons with MS participating in either a 6-month yoga class or exercise class showed significant improvement in fatigue compared to an untreated control group (Oken et al., 2004).
An 8-week adaptive yoga program for individuals with Parkinson’s disease at the Department of Physical Therapy at the California State University in Sacramento concluded a positive effect of yoga on the participants, and demonstrated improvements in strength, mobility, gait, balance, and psychological health. (Boulgarides, Coleman-Salgado, Barakatt, Choo, Williams, et al. 2007) These findings correlate with the positive physical and mental improvements in individuals with MS. Although the studies to date have not shown an effect on cognitive function, soft, quiet rhythmic breathing should help to reduce scattered thoughts and allow us to focus on one thought or one task at a time. In addition, listening to the instructions that go along with movements may further improve concentration and memory.
A team of researchers conducted a systematic review to assess the efficacy of mind-body therapies to control the treatment of hypertension. The study confirmed that yoga therapy provided the most significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Dr. Ali, the lead author, stated, “This review shows that there is some high quality scientific literature supporting the use of mind-body therapies as a treatment for hypertension, and the magnitude of the effect is clinically significant” (Ali, Katz, & Bracken, 2007). The study was conducted with people who did not have MS, however, the benefits are likely to apply to people who do.
Part 3: Ready to Learn Yoga?
Yoga is self-empowering. It is about feeling centered and being in balance, knowing there is no “perfect”. It is learning that life is a process. It is not about “touching the floor.” If you touch the floor it is fine and if you do not touch the floor, it is just as fine. Yoga is non-competitive with others, as well as within yourself. It is about learning to be more spacious in our mind and body and creating space that allows the energy or Chi (another word for energy) to flow. It is learning that it always comes back to breath, which helps us feel calmer and returns us more easily to feeling more centered. It is important to remember that with Yoga one goes at their own pace. If you can lift both arms, that is terrific; if you can lift one arm, it will be just as terrific; and if you need to help lift one of your arms with the other, you will also find this yoga approach beneficial.
Yoga teaches us that each of us is unique and special in our own way. Yoga encourages you to listen to your body and find your own rhythm and pace. It increases circulation and improves flexibility. It reduces pain, stress, fatigue, depression, and anxiety that we all experience at times. Yoga improves balance and posture. It can enhance our daily lives and offers simple techniques to help us gain control when we are in pain, feel depressed, anxious, isolated, or angry, and provides us with positive tools to help us throughout the day. Learning to “take a step back inside our head” and take a breath can help us to separate from a cloud of negativity—whether it is pain, stress, anxiety, or an upsetting telephone call. Yoga can help us to make healthier and wiser choices.
The yoga breath/relaxation technique is very simple and easy to learn. Participants are asked to simply breathe in through their nose, fill their lungs and bring the air deep into their abdomen, then to slowly breathe out through the nose. Students of yoga are taught to breathe through the nose because this warms and purifies the air and allows more oxygen to enter their lungs. One deep breath or several rhythmic breaths can be taken or focus kept at your breath for as long as you want or need. Attention is brought to each body part by saying to yourself “relax your face, your arms, your abdomen,” and so forth. This breathing exercise can help participants to relax both their body and mind, and offers them the ability to help themselves.
Practice this easy, yet powerful, rhythmic breathing as often as you like by focusing or re-focusing your attention on your breath and saying inside your mind, “Breathe in through your nose and breathe out from your nose.” This technique can be helpful with sleeping problems or insomnia. Relaxation is important to drifting off to sleep, and soft, quiet, slow rhythmic breathing promotes relaxation. This technique allows you to re-focus your attention back to your breathing, and prevents thoughts from re-entering your mind when you are trying to fall asleep. The power of “breath work” is that it can be practiced anywhere and at any time.
Conclusion
Incorporating yoga—including breathing and relaxation techniques—into your daily life is empowering. These techniques provide tools that will allow you to take an active role in the treatment of MS. Yoga helps with balance, not just the kind of balance we use when standing or walking, but the balance between body and mind, and contributes to the healthy choices that enhance quality of life. You can start on your own, or you can contact your local chapter of the National MS Society to find out about classes or DVDs currently available.