Effects of Yoga on Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability Responses to Stress

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Introduction: Yoga has been shown to reduce stress and have benefits for a number of stress-related disorders. However, the effects of an acute bout of yoga practice on cardiac autonomic response to and recovery from stress remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the effect of a single bout of yoga on heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) response to and recovery from mental stress. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted with a randomized, counterbalanced, crossover design. A total of 44 participants completed two sessions (yoga and video watching (VW)) in randomly assigned order. After each condition, participants underwent a Stroop task and mental arithmetic task. Electrocardiogram was measured and HR and HRV for resting, each condition, and the stress and recovery periods were analyzed.

Official Title
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The Effects of Acute Yoga Practice on Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability Responses to Mental Stress

Conditions
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Cardiovascular Reactivity to Stress

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Hatha Yoga
* Behavioral: Video Watching


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: aged between 20 and 40 years old a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 30 being sedentary Exclusion Criteria: Electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities (e.g., arrhythmia, atrioventricular blocks) history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or renal disease contraindications for exercise (e.g., orthopedic problems) involvement in any yoga practice being pregnant or nursing use of tobacco products or medications that may affect cardiovascular function

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 20 Years
Maximum Age: 40 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Hatha Yoga Condition<br>An experienced yoga instructor led the 30 minutes yoga condition session which consisted of 5 minutes warm up, 5 minutes breathing exercises, and 20 minutes yoga poses practice. The yoga props were used according to each participant's particular body type and needs to help he/she achieve precise yoga postures safely and comfortably. | Behavioral: Hatha Yoga<br>* The yoga poses were chosen for providing a restorative session based on their purported relationship to restorative effects to best promote cardiac autonomic recovery from mental stress.<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Control Condition<br>Participants in the control condition were watching a neutral video on a television. | Behavioral: Video Watching<br>* The video was about the history of the Earth which encompasses the development of the planet Earth from its formation to the present day.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Heart Rate | Heart rate was derived from continuous heart rate recording, at a sampling rate of 1024 Hz, using an electrocardiogram (ECG) system | up to 5 minutes | 
| Heart Rate Variability | Heart rate variability was derived from continuous heart rate recording, at a sampling rate of 1024 Hz, using an electrocardiogram (ECG) system | up to 5 minutes | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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yoga, mental stress, cardiac autonomic function, stress response