Yoga and Psychophysiological Determinants of Cardiovascular Health: Comparing Yoga Practitioners, Runners, and Sedentary
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Yoga and Psychophysiological Determinants of Cardiovascular Health: Comparing Yoga Practitioners, Runners, and Sedentary Individuals Jillian R. Satin, Ph.D. & Wolfgang Linden, Ph.D. & Roanne D. Millman, M.A.
# The Society of Behavioral Medicine 2013
Abstract Background The evidence of cardiovascular benefits of yoga is promising, but lacks demonstrations of specificity compared to other interventions. Purpose The present cross-sectional study examined cardiovascular health markers in long-term practitioners of yoga (yogis), runners, and sedentary individuals. Methods We compared physiological, psychological, and lifestyle variables associated with cardiovascular health across groups. Results Yogis (n =47) and runners (n =46) showed favorable profiles compared to sedentary individuals (n =52) on heart rate, heart rate variability, depression, perceived stress, and cigarette smoking. Runners and male yogis showed superior aerobic fitness compared to the sedentary group. Runners reported greater social support compared to other groups. Yogis demonstrated a lower respiration rate compared to sedentary individuals and were more likely to refrain from eating meat compared to other groups. Conclusions Yogis and runners demonstrated several cardiovascular health advantages over sedentary individuals. Our findings raise the possibility that yoga may improve aerobic fitness in men but not women.
J. R. Satin : W. Linden Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada R. D. Millman Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada J. R. Satin (*) The Clinic on Dupont, 101 Dupont Street, Toronto, Ontario M5R 1V4, Canada e-mail: [email protected]
Keywords Yoga . Running . Cardiovascular health . Physical activity . Cardiac psychology
Introduction Yoga, an ancient practice developed to connect the mind and body, has gained both popularity and scientific attention for its promising effects on health [1]. Hatha yoga, the most common branch in North America, combines the practice of asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), meditation, and philosophical teachings, which may influence both physiological and psychological factors that have been linked with improved health. Several systematic reviews exist on the effects of yoga practice on cardiovascular health, all of which conclude that yoga is potentially protective against cardiovascular disease in healthy adults and individuals with diabetes or heart disease [1–4]. Positive findings have been reported for several indices of cardiovascular disease risk, most commonly blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). These reviewers point to yoga’s promise in cardiovascular health, but also stress that conclusions remain tentative due to a lack of methodologically rigorous research. Identified methodological weaknesses include poorly described research methods, small sample sizes, inadequate statistical analysis, lack of control group, and inclusion of multiple interventions [1]. Additional
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