In 2010, a team of researchers, including Janice K. Kiecolt-Glaser, Ph.D., Lisa Christian, Ph.D., Heather Preston, B.A., Carrie R. Houts, M.S., William B. Malarkey, M.D., Charles F. Emery, Ph.D., and Ronald Glaser, Ph.D., published Stress, Inflammation, and Yoga Practice in the peer-reviewed medical journal Psychosomatic Medicine. They selected a group of 50 healthy women to participate in yoga, movement control, and passive-video control on three separate visits.
The study classified participants as experts or novices in yoga. They also measured their affect through the Negative and Positive Affect Schedule (PANAS), which is a self-report survey that contains two 10-item scales for mood (positive as well as negative). Whatever the category (novice or professional), researchers observed that a set-ten pose yoga class increased the positive effects of participants. In contrast, the two other controlled situations (movement as well as passive video) were able to decrease positive effects.
Positive Affect
Positive affect is the term used to describe positive expressions and emotions, as in the capacity of a person to feel positively-motivated emotions and experiences and relationships. The positive effect could manifest in the form of joy, contentment, or even excitement. Yoga philosophy teaches that the second Niyama (personal observation; the second the limb in yoga) is santosha, which is frequently translated as contentment.
Background and Disclosures on the Sequence
Researchers created a restorative sequence that was based on the teaching methods of Iyengar and focused on using props to ensure accuracy and comfort. Braces were not employed in the subsequent images.
To get a reference on the specific props to use on your own body, look up books written by Iyengar or seek advice from an expert Iyengar instructor. The points of reference for the duration of poses are as follows: Supta Baddha Konasana (10 minutes), Viparita Karani (10 minutes), And Savasana (15 fifteen minutes).
Savasana (Corpse Pose)
Kiecolt-Glaser et al. (2010) focused on one of the numerous studies that were that focused on the mind and body connection. Another example is 2004. David Shapiro and Karen Cline, researchers at The University of California at Los Angeles, published Mood Changes Associated with Iyengar Yoga Practices: The Study of a Pilot in the International Journal of Yoga Therapy. The study’s tiny sample of 11 healthy yoga students took part in nine 90-minute yoga classes, which focused on three distinct kinds of yoga poses (back bends, forward bends, and standing postures).
Their study found that backbends boosted self-reported happiness, particularly for those who were classified in the category of “relatively hostile or depressed.” According to their research, the benefits could last two hours after yoga. Shapiro, along with Cline (2004), suggested that yoga practice should be examined for therapeutic applications in the treatment of depression and mood disorders.
One of the most attractive and challenging aspects of yoga is the fact that you need to practice the discipline by putting in the effort for an extended period. This allows you to have the time and space to become your private researcher and to study how various poses affect your body.
Do you feel that in some postures, you feel anxious, or in other poses, you feel satisfied? In the spirit of Shapiro as well as Cline (2004), In this case, you could create a routine that revolves around Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel Pose) whenever you are feeling down.
Like all things, yoga isn’t a panacea. It can be very beneficial, but it is essential to consult a qualified physician or mental health counselor. We wish you a happy and successful practice. The best of luck!