1 1951 62 SCIENCE OF THE MIND: ANCIENT YOGA TEXTS AND MODERN STUDIES. THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IS GAINING IN POPULARITY WITH A WIDE RANGE OF PRACTICES. RECENT RESEARCH AND DESCRIPTIONS FROM THE ANCIENT TEXTS ARE OFTEN CONCURRENT WITH REGARD TO THE EFFECTS OF THE PRACTICE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT EXPECTED DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MODERN SCIENTIFIC TERMS AND THOSE USED IN THE ORIGINAL TEXTS. VOLUNTARILY REGULATED YOGA BREATHING PRACTICES FORM A BRIDGE BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CHANGES. THE VOLUNTARILY REGULATED YOGA BREATHING HAS DISTINCT EFFECTS ON METABOLISM, THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM, HIGHER BRAIN FUNCTIONS, AND MENTAL STATE. THE EFFECTS OF MEDITATION ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND MENTAL STATE ARE EVEN CLEARER. 2013 2 2429 22 YOGA AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE - A REVIEW AND COMPARISON. YOGA IS A MULTIFACETED SPIRITUAL TOOL WITH ENHANCED HEALTH AND WELL-BEING AS ONE OF ITS POSITIVE EFFECTS. THE COMPONENTS OF YOGA WHICH ARE VERY COMMONLY APPLIED FOR HEALTH BENEFITS ARE ASANAS (PHYSICAL POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (REGULATED BREATHING) AND MEDITATION. IN THE CONTEXT OF ASANAS, YOGA RESEMBLES MORE OF A PHYSICAL EXERCISE, WHICH MAY LEAD TO THE PERCEPTION THAT YOGA IS ANOTHER KIND OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE. THIS ARTICLE AIMS AT EXPLORING THE COMMONALITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOGA AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN TERMS OF CONCEPTS, POSSIBLE MECHANISMS AND EFFECTIVENESS FOR HEALTH BENEFITS. A NARRATIVE REVIEW IS UNDERTAKEN BASED ON TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE FOR YOGA, ALONG WITH SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES AVAILABLE ON YOGA AND EXERCISE INCLUDING HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARATIVE TRIALS WITH HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS AND PATIENTS WITH VARIOUS DISEASE CONDITIONS. PHYSICAL EXERCISES AND THE PHYSICAL COMPONENTS OF YOGA PRACTICES HAVE SEVERAL SIMILARITIES, BUT ALSO IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES. EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT YOGA INTERVENTIONS APPEAR TO BE EQUAL AND/OR SUPERIOR TO EXERCISE IN MOST OUTCOME MEASURES. EMPHASIS ON BREATH REGULATION, MINDFULNESS DURING PRACTICE, AND IMPORTANCE GIVEN TO MAINTENANCE OF POSTURES ARE SOME OF THE ELEMENTS WHICH DIFFERENTIATE YOGA PRACTICES FROM PHYSICAL EXERCISES. 2016 3 203 16 A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE EXAMINING THE PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES UNDERLYING THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF HATHA YOGA. AN ESTIMATED 7.4 MILLION AMERICANS CURRENTLY PRACTICE HATHA YOGA. MOREOVER, 64% OF INDIVIDUALS WHO PRACTICE YOGA REPORT DOING SO FOR WELL-BEING. PREVIOUS RESEARCH HAS REPORTED AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING; HOWEVER, FEW STUDIES HAVE INVESTIGATED THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS INVOLVED. THE FOLLOWING REVIEW PROVIDES AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE FIELD OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE, WHICH CONCEPTUALIZES YOGA AS A MIND-BODY PRACTICE. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HATHA YOGA IS PROVIDED THAT DESCRIBES THE PURPORTED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA AND THE RELAXATION RESPONSE. A REVIEW OF THE EMERGING LITERATURE RELATED TO NITRIC OXIDE AND OXIDATIVE STRESS AS POTENTIAL MECHANISMS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA AND WELL-BEING ALSO IS INCLUDED. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDES WITH A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE STATE OF THE RESEARCH AND PROVIDES SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE STUDIES. 2008 4 1590 16 MEDITATION AND YOGA CAN MODULATE BRAIN MECHANISMS THAT AFFECT BEHAVIOR AND ANXIETY-A MODERN SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE. MEDITATION AND YOGA TECHNIQUES ARE RECEIVING INCREASED ATTENTION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, DUE TO THE ACCUMULATION OF EVIDENCE BASED RESEARCH THAT PROVES THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT BENEFITS OF SUCH PRACTICES. BASED ON STUDIES CONDUCTED SO FAR, IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION TRIGGERS NEUROTRANSMITTERS THAT MODULATE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS SUCH AS ANXIETY. THIS PAPER WILL REVIEW THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION, THE ROLE OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS, AND STUDIES USING EEG AND FMRI. 2015 5 1587 17 MEDICAL YOGA THERAPY. MEDICAL YOGA IS DEFINED AS THE USE OF YOGA PRACTICES FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS. BEYOND THE PHYSICAL ELEMENTS OF YOGA, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT AND EFFECTIVE FOR STRENGTHENING THE BODY, MEDICAL YOGA ALSO INCORPORATES APPROPRIATE BREATHING TECHNIQUES, MINDFULNESS, AND MEDITATION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE MAXIMUM BENEFITS. MULTIPLE STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA CAN POSITIVELY IMPACT THE BODY IN MANY WAYS, INCLUDING HELPING TO REGULATE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS, IMPROVE MUSCULOSKELETAL AILMENTS AND KEEPING THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM IN TUNE. IT ALSO HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE IMPORTANT PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS, AS THE PRACTICE OF YOGA CAN HELP TO INCREASE MENTAL ENERGY AND POSITIVE FEELINGS, AND DECREASE NEGATIVE FEELINGS OF AGGRESSIVENESS, DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. 2017 6 406 24 BIOLOGICAL MARKERS FOR THE EFFECTS OF YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE. FROM THE LAST FEW DECADES, THERE ARE INCREASING INCIDENCES OF DISORDERS LIKE PREMATURE AGING, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, FIBROMYALGIA, AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE IN ADDITION TO MEDICATION, RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND THAT YOGA, A MIND-BODY THERAPY, CAN BE USED AS AN ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE. YOGA COMBINES SPECIFIC PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATHING TECHNIQUES, RELAXATION AND MEDITATION THAT IMPROVE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF THE BODY. THE PURPOSE OF THIS REVIEW IS TO COLLATE THE RESEARCH EVIDENCES CLAIMING HEALTH BENEFITS OF PERFORMING TRADITIONAL YOGIC PRACTICES. WHAT ARE THE BIOLOGICAL AND OTHER RELIABLE INDICATORS TO SUGGEST THAT DOING ASANAS, PRANAYAMA, AND MEDITATION COULD REDUCE OR TREAT WIDE RANGE OF LIFE STYLE DISORDERS ARE DISCUSSED. IMPORTANTLY, THESE INDICATORS ARE OTHERWISE USED TO ASSESS THE SEVERITY OF DISORDERS. IN MANY OF THE STUDY IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT YOGA IMPROVES THE REDOX HEALTH OF BODY WHOSE IMBALANCE HAS BEEN WELL PROVEN TO CAUSE MANY HEALTH COMPLICATIONS. THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES HAVE REVEALED THAT IT REVERSES MEMORY LOSS, REDUCE ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND STRESS, THE BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF DISEASE. HOWEVER, MOST STUDIES HAVE SEVERAL LIMITATIONS AND THEREFORE FURTHER RESEARCH INTO YOGA IS NEEDED TO VALIDATE THESE FINDINGS. 2019 7 1051 23 EFFECTS OF YOGA ON BRAIN WAVES AND STRUCTURAL ACTIVATION: A REVIEW. PREVIOUS RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THE VAST MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA. YOGA PRACTICE CAN BE DIVIDED INTO SUBCATEGORIES THAT INCLUDE POSTURE-HOLDING EXERCISE (ASANA), BREATHING (PRANAYAMA, KRIYA), AND MEDITATION (SAHAJ) PRACTICE. STUDIES MEASURING MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES HAVE SHOWN DECREASES IN ANXIETY, AND INCREASES IN COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE AFTER YOGA INTERVENTIONS. SIMILAR STUDIES HAVE ALSO SHOWN COGNITIVE ADVANTAGES AMONGST YOGA PRACTITIONERS VERSUS NON-PRACTITIONERS. THE MENTAL HEALTH AND COGNITIVE BENEFITS OF YOGA ARE EVIDENT, BUT THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN THE BRAIN THAT LEAD TO THIS REMAIN A TOPIC THAT LACKS CONSENSUS. THEREFORE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE AND REVIEW EXISTING LITERATURE ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON BRAIN WAVES AND STRUCTURAL CHANGES AND ACTIVATION. AFTER A NARROWED SEARCH THROUGH A SET OF SPECIFIC INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA, 15 ARTICLES WERE USED IN THIS REVIEW. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT BREATHING, MEDITATION, AND POSTURE-BASED YOGA INCREASED OVERALL BRAIN WAVE ACTIVITY. INCREASES IN GRAYGRAY MATTER ALONG WITH INCREASES IN AMYGDALA AND FRONTAL CORTEX ACTIVATION WERE EVIDENT AFTER A YOGA INTERVENTION. YOGA PRACTICE MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR A CLINICAL AND HEALTHY AGING POPULATION. FURTHER RESEARCH CAN EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF SPECIFIC BRANCHES OF YOGA ON A DESIGNATED CLINICAL POPULATION. 2015 8 1934 21 ROLE OF YOGA IN STRESS MANAGEMENT. THE STATE OF THE MIND AND THAT OF THE BODY ARE INTIMATELY RELATED. IF THE MIND IS RELAXED, THE MUSCLES IN THE BODY WILL ALSO BE RELAXED. STRESS PRODUCES A STATE OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL TENSION. YOGA, DEVELOPED THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO, IS RECOGNIZED AS A FORM OF MIND-BODY MEDICINE. IN YOGA, PHYSICAL POSTURES AND BREATHING EXERCISES IMPROVE MUSCLE STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY, BLOOD CIRCULATION AND OXYGEN UPTAKE AS WELL AS HORMONE FUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE RELAXATION INDUCED BY MEDITATION HELPS TO STABILIZE THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM WITH A TENDENCY TOWARDS PARASYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE. PHYSIOLOGICAL BENEFITS WHICH FOLLOW, HELP YOGA PRACTITIONERS BECOME MORE RESILIENT TO STRESSFUL CONDITIONS AND REDUCE A VARIETY OF IMPORTANT RISK FACTORS FOR VARIOUS DISEASES, ESPECIALLY CARDIO-RESPIRATORY DISEASES. 2004 9 2369 24 WHAT ARE THE KNOWN EFFECTS OF YOGA ON THE BRAIN IN RELATION TO MOTOR PERFORMANCES, BODY AWARENESS AND PAIN? A NARRATIVE REVIEW. OBJECTIVE: THE CURRENT BODY OF LITERATURE WAS REVIEWED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON THE BRAIN IN RELATION TO MOTOR PERFORMANCE, BODY AWARENESS AND PAIN. BACKGROUND: YOGA HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN THE WESTERN COUNTRIES ESPECIALLY FOR ITS UNIQUE INTEGRATION OF THE MIND AND BODY. YOGA HAS BEEN STUDIED MORE INTENSELY IN THE LAST DECADE. ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO IMPROVE COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS, FEW STUDIES HAVE LOOKED INTO THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON IMPROVING MOTOR PERFORMANCE, BODY AWARENESS OR PAIN AND THE POSSIBLE UNDERLYING BRAIN MECHANISMS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. METHODS: A SEARCH OF THE CURRENT LITERATURE WAS MADE USING KEYWORDS SUCH AS: "YOGA BRAIN MOTOR", "YOGA BRAIN PAIN", "EFFECTS YOGA BRAIN" AND "EFFECTS YOGA BRAIN MOTOR PERFORMANCE". THE FINDINGS WERE THEN DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO MOTOR PERFORMANCE, BODY AWARENESS AND PAIN AND THEIR REPORTED MECHANISMS OF ACTION ON THE BRAIN. RESULTS: A TOTAL OF 61 ARTICLES WERE SELECTED, OUT OF WHICH 29 WERE EXCLUDED BECAUSE THEY DID NOT MEET OUR CRITERIA. A TOTAL OF THIRTY-TWO ARTICLES WERE INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW, WHICH WE FURTHER SUBDIVIDED BY FOCUS: MOTOR PERFORMANCE (N=10), BODY AWARENESS (N=14) AND PAIN (N=8). DISCUSSION: OUR REVIEW SHOWS THAT YOGA HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON LEARNING RATE, SPEED AND ACCURACY OF A MOTOR TASK BY INCREASING ATTENTION AND DECREASING STRESS THROUGH A BETTER CONTROL OF SENSORIMOTOR RHYTHMS. YOGA ALSO SEEMS TO IMPROVE SENSORY AWARENESS AND INTEROCEPTION, REGULATE AUTONOMIC INPUT, INCREASE PARASYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY AND PROMOTE SELF-REGULATION. YOGA WAS ALSO SHOWN TO REDUCE THE THREAT SIGNAL, INCREASE PAIN TOLERANCE, DECREASE PAIN UNPLEASANTNESS AND DECREASE THE ANXIETY AND DISTRESS ASSOCIATED WITH PAIN. THOSE CHANGES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECRUITMENT OF SPECIFIC BRAIN AREAS SUCH AS THE INSULA, THE AMYGDALA AND THE HIPPOCAMPUS. CONCLUSION: BASED ON THE STUDIES REVIEWED IN THIS REPORT, WE FOUND THAT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA SEEMS TO FACILITATE MOTOR LEARNING, TO INCREASE BODY AWARENESS AND TO DECREASE PAIN. THESE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF CHANGES IN TERMS OF BRAIN ACTIVITY AND STRUCTURE. FURTHER STUDIES ARE NECESSARY TO REVEAL ITS PRECISE MECHANISM OF ACTION ON THE BRAIN AND TO VALIDATE ITS WIDER APPLICATION IN CLINICAL SETTINGS. 2019 10 1338 16 HOW DOES YOGA REDUCE STRESS? EMBODIED COGNITION AND EMOTION HIGHLIGHT THE INFLUENCE OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM. YOGA IS AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR ACTIVITY, PERHAPS BECAUSE OF ITS ASSOCIATION WITH STRESS REDUCTION AND RELAXATION - AN ASSOCIATION THAT IS GENERALLY SUPPORTED BY EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE. UNDERSTANDING OF THE MEDIATING VARIABLES IS, HOWEVER, LIMITED. GIVEN THAT, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER IS TO PRESENT A THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE THAT ENCOURAGES SYSTEMATIC RESEARCH REGARDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA, STRESS, AND MUSCULOSKELETAL ACTIVITY. THIS EMBODIED PERSPECTIVE PARALLELS POPULAR INTEREST IN THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION AND EMPHASIZES THE INFLUENCE OF BODY POSITION ON THINKING AS WELL AS EMOTION. THOSE INFLUENCES TAKE ON ADDED MEANING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COGNITIVE APPRAISAL THEORY AND THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL OF CHALLENGE AND THREAT. INVESTIGATIONS OF EMBODIED COGNITION SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY REDUCE STRESS BY AFFECTING THE WAY INDIVIDUALS APPRAISE STRESSORS. THE COMBINATION OF BODY POSITION AND COMMON COMPONENTS OF YOGA PRACTICE MAY ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT EFFECT, PARTICULARLY WHEN CONSIDERING THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SELF AND FEELINGS OF CONFIDENCE. FINDINGS REGARDING EMBODIED EMOTION MAKE A SIMILAR CONTRIBUTION TO UNDERSTANDING THE IMPLICATIONS OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH FINDINGS AND COMMON YOGA PRACTICES. CONSIDERING YOGA AND STRESS FROM AN EMBODIED PERSPECTIVE ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM IN THE STRESS PROCESS, LEADING TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER YOGA INFLUENCES STRESS BY DIRECTLY INFLUENCING THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM, INDIRECTLY BY INFLUENCING AWARENESS OF THAT SYSTEM, OR THROUGH A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. THOSE QUESTIONS, IN TURN, HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPANDING INVESTIGATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES, BODY POSITION, MUSCULOSKELETAL ACTIVITY DURING YOGA, AND THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THOSE VARIABLES. 2019 11 1218 13 EXPLORING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AND ITS ABILITY TO INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO ASSESS THE FINDINGS OF SELECTED ARTICLES REGARDING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AND TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE. AS PARTICIPATION RATES IN MIND-BODY FITNESS PROGRAMS SUCH AS YOGA CONTINUE TO INCREASE, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THE NATURE OF YOGA AND THE EVIDENCE OF ITS MANY THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS. THUS, THIS MANUSCRIPT PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AS IT HAS BEEN STUDIED IN VARIOUS POPULATIONS CONCERNING A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT AILMENTS AND CONDITIONS. THERAPEUTIC YOGA IS DEFINED AS THE APPLICATION OF YOGA POSTURES AND PRACTICE TO THE TREATMENT OF HEALTH CONDITIONS AND INVOLVES INSTRUCTION IN YOGIC PRACTICES AND TEACHINGS TO PREVENT REDUCE OR ALLEVIATE STRUCTURAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL PAIN, SUFFERING OR LIMITATIONS. RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY SHOW THAT YOGIC PRACTICES ENHANCE MUSCULAR STRENGTH AND BODY FLEXIBILITY, PROMOTE AND IMPROVE RESPIRATORY AND CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION, PROMOTE RECOVERY FROM AND TREATMENT OF ADDICTION, REDUCE STRESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND CHRONIC PAIN, IMPROVE SLEEP PATTERNS, AND ENHANCE OVERALL WELL-BEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE. 2011 12 2413 11 YOGA AND ITS INTEGRATION IN MODERN EDUCATION. THIS PAPER DISCUSSES THE INTEGRATION OF YOGA WITH THE MODERN EDUCATION, WHICH WILL HELP THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN POTENTIALITIES. THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT HAS TO BE ALLOTTED FOR TEACHING YOGA AND THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF YOGA TO BE INTRODUCED AT VARIOUS STAGES IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM ARE ALSO TRACED HERE. 1987 13 2600 16 YOGA FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS: NURSING AND RESEARCH CONSIDERATIONS. OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA) IS A LEADING CAUSE OF PAIN AND DISABILITY WORLDWIDE. CURRENT TREATMENT GUIDELINES RECOMMEND NONPHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACHES SUCH AS YOGA FOR FIRSTLINE TREATMENT OF OA. YOGA IS A PROMISING MIND-BODY PRACTICE THAT INCLUDES PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATHING PRACTICES, AND MEDITATIVE MENTAL FOCUS. THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS THE CURRENT EVIDENCE, AS WELL AS A PROPOSED CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. CURRENT RESEARCH ON YOGA FOR OA IS SCANT BUT PROMISING, SHOWING SOME EVIDENCE OF REDUCED PAIN, SLEEP DISTURBANCE, AND DISABILITY. THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL DESCRIBED HERE PROPOSES MUSCULOSKELETAL EFFECTS (STRENGTHENING, FLEXIBILITY, RELAXATION), REDUCTION OF AUTONOMIC AROUSAL, AND THERAPEUTIC COGNITIVE PATTERNS (DISTRACTION, MINDFULNESS) AS POTENTIALLY IMPORTANT MECHANISMS OF YOGA. THIS ARTICLE ALSO DESCRIBES CONSIDERATIONS FOR PATIENTS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WHEN EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL USEFULNESS AND SAFETY OF YOGA PROGRAMS: YOGA STYLE, INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATIONS, AND AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT IN YOGA PRACTICE. 2012 14 2888 15 YOGA: INTUITION, PREVENTIVE MEDICINE, AND TREATMENT. MIND-BODY FITNESS PROGRAMS USE A COMBINATION OF MUSCULAR ACTIVITY AND MINDFUL FOCUS ON AWARENESS OF THE SELF, BREATH, AND ENERGY TO PROMOTE HEALTH. THE ANCIENT DISCIPLINE OF YOGA INCLUDES PHYSICAL POSTURES AND BREATHING AND MEDITATION TECHNIQUES. SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE EXISTS ABOUT THE PHYSIOLOGIC EFFECTS OF YOGA. MIND-BODY FITNESS PROGRAMS MAY OFFER THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OFFERED BY TRADITIONAL BODY FITNESS PROGRAMS. 1998 15 2882 10 YOGA: A THERAPEUTIC APPROACH. YOGA, PRACTICED WIDELY IN THE EAST, IS NOW POPULAR IN THE WEST AS PART OF A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. THIS ARTICLE BRINGS A MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE TO THE PRACTICE OF YOGA. SELECTED YOGA POSTURES THAT ARE BELIEVED TO BENEFIT CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS ARE HIGHLIGHTED. IN ADDITION, THE PHILOSOPHY, GENERAL GUIDELINES, AND MEDICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE ARE DESCRIBED. 2004 16 2908 11 [PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND YOGA IN PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF ADDICTIVE DISEASES]. PREVENTION OF ADDICTIVE DISEASES SHOULD BE COMPLEX AND SYSTEMATIC AND IT SHOULD INCLUDE TRAINING OF SOCIAL SKILLS, DECISION-MAKING SKILLS, FAMILY INTERVENTION, ETC. SIMILARLY, EFFECTIVE TREATMENT IS USUALLY LONG-TERM, SYSTEMATIC AND COMPLEX. PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND YOGA CAN BE USEFUL COMPONENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAMMES. ON THE OTHER HAND, COMPETITIVE PROFESSIONAL SPORT RATHER INCREASES THE NUMBER OF RISK FACTORS FOR SUBSTANCE-RELATED PROBLEMS. PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE USE OF YOGA IN SUBSTANCE DEPENDENT PATIENTS AND PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLES ARE MENTIONED. ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF YOGA IS THE INTEGRATION OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND RELAXATION. 2005 17 1983 26 SLEEP, COGNITION, AND YOGA. STRESS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS GLOBALLY, ASSOCIATED WITH POOR SLEEP QUALITY AND COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION. MODERN SOCIETY IS PLAGUED BY SLEEP DISTURBANCES, EITHER DUE TO PROFESSIONAL DEMANDS OR LIFESTYLE OR BOTH THE ASPECTS, OFTEN LEADING TO REDUCED ALERTNESS AND COMPROMISED MENTAL FUNCTION, BESIDES THE WELL DOCUMENTED ILL EFFECTS OF DISTURBED SLEEP ON PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS. THIS PERTINENT ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. YOGA IS AN ANCIENT INDIAN SCIENCE, PHILOSOPHY AND WAY OF LIFE. RECENTLY, YOGA PRACTICE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR WORLDWIDE. YOGA PRACTICE IS AN ADJUNCT EFFECTIVE FOR STRESS, SLEEP AND ASSOCIATED DISORDERS. THERE ARE LIMITED WELL CONTROLLED PUBLISHED STUDIES CONDUCTED IN THIS AREA. WE REVIEWED THE AVAILABLE LITERATURE INCLUDING THE EFFECT OF MODERN LIFESTYLE IN CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, ADULTS AND GERIATRIC POPULATION. THE ROLE OF YOGA AND MEDITATION IN OPTIMIZING SLEEP ARCHITECTURE AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS LEADING TO OPTIMAL BRAIN FUNCTIONING IN NORMAL AND DISEASED STATE IS DISCUSSED. WE INCLUDED ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH WITH NO FIXED TIME DURATION FOR LITERATURE SEARCH. LITERATURE WAS SEARCHED MAINLY BY USING PUBMED AND SCIENCE DIRECT SEARCH ENGINES AND CRITICALLY EXAMINED. STUDIES HAVE REVEALED POSITIVE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON SLEEP AND COGNITIVE SKILLS AMONG HEALTHY ADULTS AS WELL AS PATIENTS OF SOME NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES. FURTHER, ON EVALUATING THE PUBLISHED STUDIES, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT SLEEP AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS ARE OPTIMIZED BY YOGA PRACTICE, WHICH BRINGS ABOUT CHANGES IN AUTONOMIC FUNCTION, STRUCTURAL CHANGES, CHANGES IN METABOLISM, NEUROCHEMISTRY AND IMPROVED FUNCTIONAL BRAIN NETWORK CONNECTIVITY IN KEY REGIONS OF THE BRAIN. 2021 18 226 22 A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF RANDOMISED CONTROL TRIALS ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON STRESS MEASURES AND MOOD. STRESS RELATED DISORDERS SUCH AS DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY ARE LEADING SOURCES OF DISABILITY WORLDWIDE, AND CURRENT TREATMENT METHODS SUCH AS CONVENTIONAL ANTIDEPRESSANT MEDICATIONS ARE NOT BENEFICIAL FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS. THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT YOGA HAS MOOD-ENHANCING PROPERTIES POSSIBLY RELATED TO ITS INHIBITORY EFFECTS ON PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS AND INFLAMMATION, WHICH ARE FREQUENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH AFFECTIVE DISORDERS. HOWEVER THE BIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS VIA WHICH YOGA EXERTS ITS THERAPEUTIC MOOD-MODULATING EFFECTS ARE LARGELY UNKNOWN. THIS SYSTEMATIC REVIEW INVESTIGATES THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AND HYPOTHALAMIC PITUITARY ADRENAL AXIS REGULATION MEASURES. IT FOCUSES ON STUDIES COLLECTING PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS SUCH AS BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART RATE, CORTISOL, PERIPHERAL CYTOKINE EXPRESSION AND/OR STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL BRAIN MEASURES IN REGIONS INVOLVED IN STRESS AND MOOD REGULATION. OVERALL THE 25 RANDOMISED CONTROL STUDIES DISCUSSED PROVIDE PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT YOGA PRACTICE LEADS TO BETTER REGULATION OF THE SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AND HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-ADRENAL SYSTEM, AS WELL AS A DECREASE IN DEPRESSIVE AND ANXIOUS SYMPTOMS IN A RANGE OF POPULATIONS. FURTHER RESEARCH IS WARRANTED TO CONFIRM THESE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION IN CLINICAL SETTINGS. 2015 19 1890 20 REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION BY YOGA, MEDITATION AND RELATED PRACTICES: A REVIEW OF RECENT STUDIES. INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE (IM) APPROACHES HAVE GAINED SIGNIFICANT INTEREST IN RECENT YEARS TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR THE HEALTH CARE CHALLENGES WE FACE TODAY. YOGIC COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL PRACTICES ARE AMONG THE MOST WIDELY USED IM APPROACHES AND INCLUDE DIVERSE PRACTICES SUCH AS YOGA ASANAS, MEDITATION, BREATHING EXERCISES, QI GONG, TAI CHI CHIH, AND VARIOUS OTHERS. STUDIES TO DATE SUGGEST THAT THESE YOGIC/MEDITATIVE PRACTICES HAVE SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE EFFECTS ON THE MIND-BODY SYSTEM AND THEREBY CAN INCREASE WELLNESS AND SUPPORT THE HEALING PROCESS FROM DISEASE. PREVIOUS WORK HAS PROVIDED EVIDENCE FOR BOTH PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THESE PRACTICES; HOWEVER, THE MECHANISMS OF THESE EFFECTS, ESPECIALLY AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL, HAVE LARGELY BEEN MISSING. THREE RECENT STUDIES STARTED TO PROVIDE SOME OF THIS INFORMATION THROUGH GENE EXPRESSION PROFILING IN CIRCULATING IMMUNE CELLS, WHICH SUPPORT THE HYPOTHESIS THAT YOGIC/MEDITATIVE PRACTICES HAVE A MEASURABLE EFFECT AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL. THESE STUDIES ARE REVIEWED HEREIN AND SOME FUTURE PERSPECTIVES ARE CONSIDERED. 2013 20 2516 15 YOGA CLINICAL RESEARCH REVIEW. IN THIS PAPER RECENT RESEARCH IS REVIEWED ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA POSES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS INCLUDING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, ON PAIN SYNDROMES, CARDIOVASCULAR, AUTOIMMUNE AND IMMUNE CONDITIONS AND ON PREGNANCY. FURTHER, THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF YOGA INCLUDING DECREASED HEARTRATE AND BLOOD PRESSURE AND THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS INCLUDING WEIGHT LOSS AND INCREASED MUSCLE STRENGTH ARE REVIEWED. FINALLY, POTENTIAL UNDERLYING MECHANISMS ARE PROPOSED INCLUDING THE STIMULATION OF PRESSURE RECEPTORS LEADING TO ENHANCED VAGAL ACTIVITY AND REDUCED CORTISOL. THE REDUCTION IN CORTISOL, IN TURN, MAY CONTRIBUTE TO POSITIVE EFFECTS SUCH AS ENHANCED IMMUNE FUNCTION AND A LOWER PREMATURITY RATE. 2011