1 2474 185 YOGA AS AN ADJUNCT ACTIVITY FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS LEARNING ANATOMY. BACKGROUND: MEDICAL STUDENTS EXPERIENCE HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS DURING TRAINING DUE TO DEMANDING COURSE LOADS WHICH OFTEN LEAVES LESS TIME FOR SELF-CARE. THIS STUDY COMBINES THE SELF-CARE TECHNIQUE OF YOGA WITH LEARNING ANATOMICAL LOCATIONS, INNERVATIONS, ACTIONS, AND FUNCTIONS OF THE MUSCLES AND ORGANS TO DETERMINE IF ANATOMY TESTS SCORES ARE IMPROVED AND WHETHER STUDENTS' STRESS LEVELS ATTENUATE FROM PARTICIPATING IN YOGA. METHODS: IN THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY, 64 STUDENT VOLUNTEERS WERE RANDOMIZED INTO EITHER A YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP OR WAIT LIST CONTROL GROUP THROUGHOUT THE M1 ANATOMY COURSE. THE YOGA GROUP (N = 32) PARTICIPATED IN 8 YOGA SESSIONS SYNCED WITH THE ANATOMY TOPICS THEY WERE LEARNING IN LECTURE. THE WAIT LIST GROUP (N = 32) WENT THROUGH THEIR NORMAL ANATOMY CURRICULUM BUT HAD AN OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SAME YOGA SESSIONS AFTER THE ANATOMY COURSE. THE PRIMARY RESEARCH PURPOSE WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOGA IMPROVED ANATOMY EXAM PERFORMANCE BY COMPARING FOUR ANATOMY EXAM SCORES BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS. THE SECONDARY RESEARCH PURPOSES INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING: TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOGA CLASSES INCLUDING ANATOMY TEACHING STILL CONFERRED ACUTE AND LONG-LASTING STRESS RELIEF BY, RESPECTIVELY, COMPARING A STUDENTS' OWN PRE- AND POST-YOGA STRESS LEVEL AND SELF-PERCEIVED STRESS LEVELS BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS; AND TO DETERMINE IF A STUDENT'S CONFIDENCE IN ANATOMY WAS IMPROVED AFTER A YOGA SESSION. RESULTS: THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN ANATOMY EXAM PERFORMANCE BETWEEN STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED YOGA AND THOSE ON THE WAITLIST (ALL P > 0.05). FOR STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED YOGA, THEIR AVERAGE SELF-REPORTED STRESS LEVELS DECREASED AFTER EACH YOGA SESSION, THEIR AVERAGE DASS (DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND STRESS SCALE) SCORE DECREASED AFTER A YOGA SESSION, BUT THEY WERE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY LESS STRESSED THAN THEIR WAITLIST PEERS PRIOR TO AN EXAM, AND THEIR SELF-REPORTED CONFIDENCE IN ANATOMY MATERIAL RELATED TO THE BACK, UPPER EXTREMITY, HEAD AND NECK, AND ABDOMEN/PELVIS INCREASED. CONCLUSION: WITH THIS SAMPLE, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT YOGA SESSIONS PAIRED WITH ANATOMY LECTURE MATERIAL IMPROVED OVERALL ANATOMY EXAM PERFORMANCE, AS OPPOSED TO ONLY THE MUSCULOSKELETAL PORTION WHICH OTHER STUDIES HAVE LOOKED AT. HOWEVER, YOGA ACUTELY REDUCED STRESS LEVELS, AND SUBJECTIVE FEELINGS OF KNOWLEDGE IMPROVEMENT WERE NOTED BY PARTICIPANTS. BOTH OF THESE CAN PROVIDE BENEFITS TO MEDICAL STUDENTS. 2022 2 248 55 A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH ELEVATED SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION. CONTEXT: YOGA TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OFTEN REPORT THAT YOGA HAS AN UPLIFTING EFFECT ON THEIR MOODS, BUT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON YOGA AND DEPRESSION IS LIMITED. OBJECTIVE: TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF A SHORT-TERM IYENGAR YOGA COURSE ON MOOD IN MILDLY DEPRESSED YOUNG ADULTS. DESIGN: YOUNG ADULTS PRE-SCREENED FOR MILD LEVELS OF DEPRESSION WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A YOGA COURSE OR WAIT-LIST CONTROL GROUP. SETTING: COLLEGE CAMPUS RECREATION CENTER. PARTICIPANTS: TWENTY-EIGHT VOLUNTEERS AGES 18 TO 29. AT INTAKE, ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE EXPERIENCING MILD LEVELS OF DEPRESSION, BUT HAD RECEIVED NO CURRENT PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSES OR TREATMENTS. NONE HAD SIGNIFICANT YOGA EXPERIENCE. INTERVENTION: SUBJECTS IN THE YOGA GROUP ATTENDED TWO 1-HOUR IYENGAR YOGA CLASSES EACH WEEK FOR 5 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS. THE CLASSES EMPHASIZED YOGA POSTURES THOUGHT TO ALLEVIATE DEPRESSION, PARTICULARLY BACK BENDS, STANDING POSES, AND INVERSIONS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY, STATE-TRAIT ANXIETY INVENTORY, PROFILE OF MOOD STATES, MORNING CORTISOL LEVELS. RESULTS: SUBJECTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE YOGA COURSE DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN SELF-REPORTED SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND TRAIT ANXIETY. THESE EFFECTS EMERGED BY THE MIDDLE OF THE YOGA COURSE AND WERE MAINTAINED BY THE END. CHANGES ALSO WERE OBSERVED IN ACUTE MOOD, WITH SUBJECTS REPORTING DECREASED LEVELS OF NEGATIVE MOOD AND FATIGUE FOLLOWING YOGA CLASSES. FINALLY, THERE WAS A TREND FOR HIGHER MORNING CORTISOL LEVELS IN THE YOGA GROUP BY THE END OF THE YOGA COURSE, COMPARED TO CONTROLS. THESE FINDINGS PROVIDE SUGGESTIVE EVIDENCE OF THE UTILITY OF YOGA ASANAS IN IMPROVING MOOD AND SUPPORT THE NEED FOR FUTURE STUDIES WITH LARGER SAMPLES AND MORE COMPLEX STUDY DESIGNS TO MORE FULLY EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MOOD DISTURBANCES. 2004 3 1616 45 MINDFUL AWARENESS FOR FEMALE DENTAL STUDENTS THROUGH YOGA, MOTIVATIONAL VIDEO, AND A COMBINATION OF TWO ON STRESS REDUCTION. OBJECTIVE: ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL EFFECT OF YOGA, MOTIVATIONAL VIDEOS, AND A COMBINATION OF TWO ON STRESS REDUCTION IN FEMALE DENTAL STUDENTS. METHODS: THE CURRENT STUDY DESIGN IS A NONRANDOMIZED TRIAL CARRIED OUT AMONG FEMALE DENTAL STUDENTS (N = 120). THE SELECTED SUBJECTS WERE ALLOCATED INTO THREE GROUPS, NAMELY, GROUP A: YOGA GROUP ASSIGNED UNDER A PROFESSIONAL YOGA INSTRUCTOR, GROUP B: MOTIVATIONAL VIDEO GROUP, AND GROUP C: A COMBINATION OF TWO (A AND B) INVOLVING YOGA SESSIONS AND MOTIVATIONAL VIDEOS; FOLLOWING WHICH FORMATIVE EXAMINATIONS WERE CARRIED OUT AT 6 WEEKS WHICH WERE REFERRED TO AS STRESSOR 1 AND THOSE CARRIED OUT AT 12 WEEKS WERE REFERRED TO AS STRESSOR 2. USING SPIELBERGER'S STATE-TRAIT ANXIETY INVENTORY FOR ADULTS (STAI-A) RECORDINGS WERE MEASURED AT BASELINE, STRESSOR 1, AND STRESSOR 2. RESULTS: THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN TRAIT ANXIETY SCORES AT BOTH STRESSORS IN ALL THE GROUPS WITH A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN DEPRESSION SCORE FROM STRESSOR 1 TO 2 IN GROUP 1 AND GROUP 3 SUBJECTS. THE SIGNIFICANT DECREASE OCCURRED IN STAI-A SCORES IN GROUP 1 AND GROUP 3 SUBJECTS AT BOTH STRESSORS (P < 0.001) WITH NO CHANGE OBSERVED IN GROUP 2 SUBJECTS. CONCLUSION: THE PRESENT STUDY IS ONE OF A KIND AND POSITIVELY CORRELATES YOGA AND MOTIVATIONAL VIDEOS WITH STRESS REDUCTION. BOTH OF THESE INTERVENTIONS PROVED TO BE BENEFICIARY FOR PHYSICAL AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDY SUBJECTS. 2020 4 1700 52 PARTICIPATION IN A 10-WEEK COURSE OF YOGA IMPROVES BEHAVIOURAL CONTROL AND DECREASES PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN A PRISON POPULATION. BACKGROUND: YOGA AND MEDITATION HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN ALLEVIATING SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS AND PSYCHIATRIC POPULATIONS. RECENT WORK HAS ALSO INDICATED THAT YOGA CAN IMPROVE COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOURAL PERFORMANCE AND CONTROL. ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN NO CONTROLLED STUDIES OF THE EFFECTS OF YOGA IN A PRISON POPULATION, WE REASONED THAT YOGA COULD HAVE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS IN A SETTING WHERE PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING IS OFTEN LOW, AND THE FREQUENCY OF IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOURS IS HIGH. METHODS: PARTICIPANTS WERE RECRUITED FROM 7 BRITISH PRISONS AND RANDOMLY ALLOCATED TO EITHER A 10-WEEK YOGA PROGRAMME (YOGA GROUP; 1 CLASS PER WEEK; N = 45) OR A CONTROL GROUP (N = 55). SELF-REPORT MEASURES OF MOOD, STRESS, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS WERE COLLECTED BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED A COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOURAL TASK (GO/NO-GO) AT THE END OF THE STUDY, WHICH ASSESSED BEHAVIOURAL RESPONSE INHIBITION AND SUSTAINED ATTENTION. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS IN THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED INCREASED SELF-REPORTED POSITIVE AFFECT, AND REDUCED STRESS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, COMPARED TO PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONTROL GROUP. PARTICIPANTS WHO COMPLETED THE YOGA COURSE ALSO SHOWED BETTER PERFORMANCE IN THE COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOURAL TASK, MAKING SIGNIFICANTLY FEWER ERRORS OF OMISSION IN GO TRIALS AND FEWER ERRORS OF COMMISSION ON NO-GO TRIALS, COMPARED TO CONTROL PARTICIPANTS. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN IMPROVING SUBJECTIVE WELLBEING, MENTAL HEALTH, AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING WITHIN PRISON POPULATIONS. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION GIVEN THE CONSISTENTLY HIGH RATES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL MORBIDITY IN THIS GROUP AND THE NEED FOR EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES. 2013 5 1512 38 IS THERE MORE TO YOGA THAN EXERCISE? CONTEXT: YOGA IS INCREASING IN POPULARITY, WITH AN ESTIMATED 15 MILLION PRACTITIONERS IN THE UNITED STATES, YET THERE IS A DEARTH OF EMPIRICAL DATA ADDRESSING THE HOLISTIC BENEFITS OF YOGA. OBJECTIVE: TO COMPARE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BENEFITS OF AN EXERCISE-BASED YOGA PRACTICE TO THAT OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE YOGA PRACTICE (ONE WITH AN ETHICAL/SPIRITUAL COMPONENT). DESIGN: STUDENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, OR STRESS AND WHO AGREED TO PARTICIPATE WERE ASSIGNED TO ONE OF THREE GROUPS: INTEGRATED YOGA, YOGA AS EXERCISE, CONTROL. PARTICIPANTS: A TOTAL OF 81 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS 18 YEARS AND OLDER AT A UNIVERSITY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, STRESS, HOPE, AND SALIVARY CORTISOL. RESULTS: OVER TIME, PARTICIPANTS IN BOTH THE INTEGRATED AND EXERCISE YOGA GROUPS EXPERIENCED DECREASED DEPRESSION AND STRESS, AN INCREASED SENSE OF HOPEFULNESS, AND INCREASED FLEXIBILITY COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP. HOWEVER, ONLY THE INTEGRATED YOGA GROUP EXPERIENCED DECREASED ANXIETY-RELATED SYMPTOMS AND DECREASED SALIVARY CORTISOL FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA, PRACTICED IN A MORE INTEGRATED FORM, IE, WITH AN ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL COMPONENT, MAY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OVER YOGA PRACTICED AS AN EXERCISE REGIMEN. 2011 6 2274 55 THE ROLE OF YOGA IN TREATING STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS IN DENTAL HYGIENE STUDENTS. CONTEXT: RESEARCH HAS PROVIDED EVIDENCE FOR YOGA'S EFFECTIVENESS IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF PAIN AND STRESS, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED AS SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE MODERATORS OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND EXPERIENCE. AIMS: THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED THE FEASIBILITY AND PRELIMINARY IMPACT OF A 10-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION WITH DENTAL HYGIENE STUDENTS TO REDUCE PERCEPTIONS OF STRESS AND STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: STUDENTS SELF-SELECTED INTO A YOGA TREATMENT VERSUS CONTROL CONDITION. THEY COMPLETED STRESS AND PAIN MEASURES AT FOUR TIME POINTS DURING AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION OR CONTROL PERIOD OF 10-WEEKS. METHODS: PARTICIPANTS WERE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM. ALL 77 PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED A 10-WEEK STUDY, SELF-SELECTING INTO AN INTERVENTION OR CONTROL GROUP. THEY COMPLETED THREE SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES ASSESSING PAIN AND STRESS, ADMINISTERED AT BASELINE, MID-POINT, POSTINTERVENTION, AND TWO FOLLOW-UPS. THE 10-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF 10 90-MIN YOGA SESSIONS THAT PROVIDED CHECK-INS, BREATHING EXERCISES, SEQUENCES OF POSTURES, RELAXATION EXERCISES, AND CLOSING MEDITATIONS. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: INDEPENDENT SAMPLES T-TESTS WERE USED TO COMPARE PERCEIVED STRESS LEVELS OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONTROL VERSUS TREATMENT GROUPS. PAIRED T-TEST WAS USED TO ASSESS DIFFERENCES IN STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOM LEVELS ACROSS TIME. RESULTS: RESULTS SUGGESTED THAT A YOGA INTERVENTION IS FEASIBLE FOR THIS GROUP AND THAT ACTIVE YOGA PRACTICE CAN LOWER PERCEIVED STRESS ACROSS MULTIPLE DOMAINS AND ACROSS TIME. CONCLUSIONS: A SPECIALLY ADAPTED AND DESIGNED 10-WEEK YOGA PROTOCOL APPEARS TO BE AN ACCESSIBLE OPTION FOR DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAMS THAT SEEK TO SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS IN IMPROVING OVERALL WELLBEING. 2020 7 1884 38 REDUCING STRESS IN SCHOOL-AGE GIRLS THROUGH MINDFUL YOGA. INTRODUCTION: SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN REPORT MUCH STRESS IN THEIR DAILY LIVES, WHICH MAY LEAD TO PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL PROBLEMS. MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION IS A PROGRAM OF AWARENESS-BASED PRACTICES EFFECTIVE WITH ADULTS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFICACY OF MINDFULNESS TRAINING THROUGH YOGA WITH SCHOOL-AGE GIRLS TO REDUCE PERCEIVED STRESS, ENHANCE COPING ABILITIES, SELF-ESTEEM, AND SELF-REGULATION, AND EXPLORE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DOSE OF THE INTERVENTION AND OUTCOMES. METHOD: FOURTH- AND FIFTH-GRADE GIRLS WERE RECRUITED FROM TWO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO INTERVENTION AND WAIT-LIST CONTROL GROUPS. THE INTERVENTION GROUP MET 1 HOUR A WEEK FOR 8 WEEKS AND COMPLETED 10 MINUTES OF DAILY HOMEWORK. RESULTS: SELF-ESTEEM AND SELF-REGULATION INCREASED IN BOTH GROUPS. THE INTERVENTION GROUP WAS MORE LIKELY TO REPORT GREATER APPRAISAL OF STRESS (P < .01) AND GREATER FREQUENCY OF COPING (P < .05). HOMEWORK ACCOUNTED FOR 7% OF THE VARIANCE IN REPORTED STRESS. DISCUSSION: CONSISTENT WITH REPORTS OF MINDFULNESS TRAINING, GREATER AWARENESS OF THE FEELINGS ASSOCIATED WITH STRESS MAY ENHANCE COPING ABILITIES. HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE INCREASING AWARENESS OF STRESSORS IN ITSELF INCREASED STRESS, POSSIBLY AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING MINDFULNESS OR RELATED TO COGNITIVE, EMOTIONAL, OR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. MINDFULNESS IN CHILDREN MAY DIFFER FROM MINDFULNESS IN ADULTS AND WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION. 2012 8 1701 46 PARTICIPATION IN A YOGA STUDY DECREASES STRESS AND DEPRESSION SCORES FOR INCARCERATED WOMEN. INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS EXHIBIT A HIGH INCIDENCE OF STRESS-RELATED DISORDERS, INCLUDING ADDICTION AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD), AS WELL AS THE ADDED STRESS OF CAPTIVITY. ACCESS TO STRESS-REDUCTION TOOLS IS LIMITED FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS. ONE POSSIBLE APPROACH MAY BE REGULAR STRUCTURED YOGA CLASSES. USING TWO APPROACHES, WE TESTED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A BRIEF, INTENSIVE YOGA INTERVENTION IN A POPULATION OF INCARCERATED WOMEN IN A COUNTY JAIL. THE FIRST APPROACH WAS AN EXAMINATION OF ARCHIVAL DATA COLLECTED AS PART OF A PROGRAM ANALYSIS. INDIVIDUALS SHOWED CONSIDERABLE REDUCTION IN SELF-REPORTED STRESS FOLLOWING A SINGLE YOGA SESSION. THE SECOND APPROACH WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY USING A WEEK-LONG YOGA INTERVENTION. THIRTY-FOUR PARTICIPANTS WERE ASSIGNED TO EITHER THE YOGA OR CONTROL GROUP FOR THE FIRST WEEK. IN THE SECOND WEEK, THE CONDITIONS WERE REVERSED. PARTICIPANTS WERE ASSESSED WEEKLY, BEFORE AND AFTER INTERVENTION. BASELINE SCORES REVEALED HIGH RATES OF DEPRESSION, STRESS, AND EXPOSURE TO TRAUMATIC LIFE EVENTS COMPARED TO NORMATIVE DATA. STRESS AND DEPRESSION WERE ASSESSED USING THE PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE AND BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY, RESPECTIVELY. COMPARED TO CONTROLS, PARTICIPANTS REPORTED LESS DEPRESSION AFTER A WEEK OF DAILY YOGA SESSIONS. PERCEIVED STRESS DECLINED UNDER BOTH CONTROL AND YOGA CONDITIONS. DUE TO THE TRANSIENT NATURE OF THE JAIL INSTITUTION, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXAMINE INTERVENTIONS THAT CAN BE PROVIDED ON A SHORT-TERM BASIS. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE LIMITATIONS IN THIS STUDY, THE RESULTS SUPPORT THE CONCLUSION THAT THE BRIEF YOGA INTERVENTION HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT ON PARTICIPANTS' WELL-BEING. 2021 9 719 46 EFFECT OF IYENGAR YOGA ON MENTAL HEALTH OF INCARCERATED WOMEN: A FEASIBILITY STUDY. BACKGROUND: INCARCERATED WOMEN SHARE A DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN OF MENTAL ILLNESS. ALTHOUGH PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO WOMEN IN PRISON, ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT MODALITIES, SUCH AS IYENGAR YOGA, MAY INCREASE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING. OBJECTIVES: THE PURPOSES OF THIS STUDY WERE (A) TO ADDRESS THE FEASIBILITY OF PROVIDING A GENDER-RESPONSIVE EXERCISE INTERVENTION WITHIN A CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AND (B) TO OBSERVE THE EFFECT OF A GROUP-FORMAT IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM THAT MET TWO SESSIONS A WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS ON LEVELS OF DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS, ANXIETY SYMPTOMS, AND PERCEIVED STRESS AMONG INCARCERATED WOMEN. METHODS: A REPEATED MEASURES DESIGN, IN WHICH EACH PARTICIPANT SERVED AS HER OWN CONTROL, WAS USED. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THREE SELF-ADMINISTERED INSTRUMENTS: THE BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY, THE BECK ANXIETY INVENTORY, AND THE PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE BEFORE TREATMENT (BASELINE) AND DURING TREATMENT (WEEKS 4, 8, AND 12). LINEAR MIXED EFFECTS MODELS WERE USED TO EXAMINE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN MENTAL HEALTH MEASURES OVER TIME, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL AVAILABLE DATA. RESULTS: ALTHOUGH 21 WOMEN INITIALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE INTERVENTION, 6 WOMEN COMPLETED THE 12-WEEK INTERVENTION. A SIGNIFICANT LINEAR DECREASE WAS DEMONSTRATED IN SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION OVER TIME, WITH MEAN VALUES CHANGING FROM 24.90 AT BASELINE TO 5.67 AT WEEK 12. THERE WAS A MARGINALLY SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN ANXIETY OVER TIME (12.00 AT BASELINE TO 7.33 AT WEEK 12) AND A NONLINEAR CHANGE IN STRESS OVER TIME, WITH DECREASES FROM BASELINE TO WEEK 4 AND SUBSEQUENT INCREASES TO WEEK 12. DISCUSSION: WOMEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM EXPERIENCED FEWER SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY OVER TIME. FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY MAY BE USED TO IMPROVE FUTURE INTERVENTIONS FOCUSING ON THE HEALTH OUTCOMES OF INCARCERATED WOMEN. 2010 10 935 30 EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA TRAINING PROGRAMS TO REDUCE DEPRESSION AND IMPROVE RESILIENCE OF SINGLE MOTHERS. SINGLE MOTHERS ARE VULNERABLE TO MENTAL HEALTH SUCH AS DEPRESSION, BUT EMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS INSUFFICIENT. YOGA IS KNOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AND PROMOTING RESILIENCE. THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN ORDER TO VERIFY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA TRAINING PROGRAMS IN REDUCING DEPRESSION AND IMPROVING THE RESILIENCE OF SINGLE MOTHERS. PARTICIPANTS IN THE STUDY INCLUDED 20 SINGLE MOTHERS WHO BELONGED TO THE SINGLE MOTHERS ASSOCIATION, WHO WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO TRAINING (N=10) AND NONTRAINING (N=10) GROUPS. THE YOGA TRAINING PROGRAM FOR SINGLE MOTHERS CONSISTED OF ASANA YOGA, MEDITATION, AND MIND EXPRESSION THROUGH EXPERT MEETINGS; A TOTAL OF EIGHT SESSIONS WERE CONDUCTED ONCE A WEEK FOR 120 MIN. TESTING FOR DEPRESSION AND RESILIENCE WAS PERFORMED BEFORE AND AFTER THE PROGRAM IN ORDER TO VERIFY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM. ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY, DEPRESSION IN SINGLE MOTHERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE YOGA TRAINING PROGRAM WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED, AND RESILIENCE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED. THEREFORE, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE YOGA TRAINING PROGRAM IN LOWERING THE DEPRESSION OF SINGLE MOTHERS AND IMPROVING RESILIENCE WAS CONFIRMED. IN THE FUTURE CONDUCT OF MANY STUDIES WILL BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO HELP THE MENTAL HEALTH OF SINGLE MOTHERS. 2022 11 1369 27 IMPACT OF A SHORT YOGA INTERVENTION ON MEDICAL STUDENTS' HEALTH: A PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND: MEDICAL STUDENTS OFTEN EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT DISTRESS EARLY-ON IN UNDERGRADUATE TRAINING. AIMS: WE AIMED TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF A BRIEF STRUCTURED YOGA INTERVENTION ON MEDICAL STUDENTS. METHOD: FOURTEEN FIRST-YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A 16-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION PILOT STUDY. STUDENTS COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES AT BASELINE, MID-INTERVENTION AND END OF THE STUDY. RESULTS: THE STUDENTS REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN OVERALL HEALTH, PERCEIVED STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION. CONCLUSIONS: A YOGA INTERVENTION MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN DECREASING STRESS AND IMPROVING GENERAL WELL-BEING IN MEDICAL STUDENTS. 2009 12 2871 43 YOGA-BASED RELAXATION TECHNIQUE FACILITATES SUSTAINED ATTENTION IN PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN: A PILOT STUDY. CONTEXT: THE EXPERIENCE OF PAIN STRONGLY INFLUENCES SUSTAINED ATTENTION, WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR NEUROCOGNITIVE PERFORMANCE. YOGA-BASED RELAXATION TECHNIQUES MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN IMPROVING SUSTAINED ATTENTION BY ATTENUATING PAIN IN PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN. HENCE, WE AIMED TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF A YOGA-BASED RELAXATION TECHNIQUE ON SUSTAINED ATTENTION AND SELF-REPORTED PAIN DISABILITY IN PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN. METHODS: A TOTAL OF 22 MEN AGED 30 TO 50 YEARS WITH LOW BACK PAIN WERE RECRUITED FOR THE STUDY. THEY WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO EITHER THE YOGA (N = 11) OR CONTROL (N = 11) GROUPS. THE YOGA GROUP PRACTICED A YOGA-BASED RELAXATION TECHNIQUE (YBRT) 1 HOUR A DAY FOR 4 WEEKS AND THE CONTROL GROUP MAINTAINED THEIR USUAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REGIMEN. ASSESSMENTS INCLUDED THE SUSTAINED ATTENTION TO RESPONSE TASK (SART) AND THE OSWESTRY LOW BACK PAIN DISABILITY QUESTIONNAIRE (OLBPDQ) MEASURED BEFORE AND AFTER THE 4-WEEK INTERVENTION. RESULTS: THE STUDY SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN ALL SELF-REPORTED OLBPDQ DOMAINS AND IMPROVEMENT IN SUSTAINED ATTENTION IN A BEFORE AND AFTER COMPARISON 4 WEEKS FOLLOWING THE YOGA INTERVENTION. PEARSON'S CORRELATION ALSO SHOWED A POSITIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN SUSTAINED ATTENTION AND PAIN REDUCTION FOLLOWING THE YOGA INTERVENTION. CONCLUSION: THE FINDINGS INDICATE THAT YOGA PRACTICE REDUCES PAIN AND SIMULTANEOUSLY IMPROVES INFORMATION PROCESSING SPEED WITH IMPULSE CONTROL DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF A SUSTAINED ATTENTION TASK. 2020 13 1964 27 SEPARATING THE "LIMBS" OF YOGA: LIMITED EFFECTS ON STRESS AND MOOD. THOUGH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE PRACTICE YOGA TO REDUCE STRESS AND IMPROVE THEIR MOOD, IT IS UNCLEAR WHICH ASPECT OF YOGA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE EFFECTS. TO INVESTIGATE RELEVANT ASPECTS, OR "LIMBS" OF YOGA, PARTICIPANTS WHO WERE NOVICES IN THE PRACTICE OF YOGA ENGAGED IN A SINGLE YOGA MANIPULATION (I.E., POSES, BREATH WORK, MEDITATION, OR LISTENING TO A LECTURE ABOUT YOGA) FOR 20 MIN BEFORE EXPERIENCING A MILD STRESSOR. PARTICIPANTS' HEART RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE, MOOD, AND ANXIETY LEVEL WERE ASSESSED, BOTH IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE YOGA MANIPULATION AND AFTER THE MILD STRESSOR. THE 20-MIN YOGA MANIPULATION DID NOT DIFFERENTIALLY AFFECT ANY OF THE MEASURES, INCLUDING PARTICIPANTS' STRESS RESPONSE AFTER THE MILD STRESSOR. RESULTS ARE DISCUSSED REGARDING THE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS OF A YOGA PRACTICE. 2019 14 110 34 A PILOT STUDY MEASURING THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON THE TRAIT OF MINDFULNESS. BACKGROUND: THE CURRENT STUDY EXAMINED WHETHER YOGA WOULD INCREASE LEVELS OF MINDFULNESS IN A HEALTHY POPULATION. METHOD: FORTY-SIX PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP OR A WAIT-LIST CONTROL GROUP. MINDFULNESS WAS ASSESSED PRE AND POST YOGA, USING THE FREIBURG MINDFULNESS INVENTORY (FMI). RESULTS: RESULTS INDICATE THAT THE YOGA GROUP EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN OVERALL MINDFULNESS, AND IN THREE MINDFULNESS SUBSCALES; ATTENTION TO THE PRESENT MOMENT, ACCEPTING AND OPEN ATTITUDES TOWARD EXPERIENCE, AND INSIGHTFUL UNDERSTANDING (P < .01). THE CONTROL GROUP EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN OVERALL MINDFULNESS (P < .02) AND INSIGHTFUL UNDERSTANDING (P < .01). FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT A YOGA INTERVENTION MAY BE A VIABLE METHOD FOR INCREASING LEVELS OF TRAIT MINDFULNESS IN A HEALTHY POPULATION, POTENTIALLY IMPLICATING YOGA AS A PREVENTIVE METHOD FOR THE LATER DEVELOPMENT OF NEGATIVE EMOTIONAL MOOD STATES (I.E. ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION). THE CONTROL GROUP ALSO EXPERIENCED MODERATE ELEVATIONS OF MINDFULNESS AT THE SECOND ASSESSMENT. 2009 15 1999 54 STRESS DUE TO EXAMS IN MEDICAL STUDENTS--ROLE OF YOGA. A STUDENT UNDER OPTIMAL STRESS DOES BRING OUT HIS OR HER BEST, HOWEVER EXTREMES OF STRESS CAN RESULT IN STRESS INDUCED DISORDERS AND DETERIORATING PERFORMANCE. CAN YOGA BE OF BENEFIT IN STRESS INDUCED EFFECTS IN MEDICAL STUDENTS? THE PRESENT STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN FIRST MBBS STUDENTS (N = 50) TO DETERMINE THE BENEFIT IF ANY OF YOGIC PRACTICES ON ANXIETY STATUS DURING ROUTINE ACTIVITIES AND PRIOR TO EXAMINATION. FEEDBACK SCORES WERE ASSESSED TO DETERMINE HOW THE STUDENTS HAD BENEFITED FROM THE PRACTICES. ANXIETY STATUS AS ASSESSED BY SPILLBERGER'S ANXIETY SCALE SHOWED A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION FOLLOWING PRACTICE. IN ADDITION THE ANXIETY SCORE WHICH ROSE PRIOR TO EXAMS SHOWED A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION ON THE DAY OF EXAM AFTER PRACTICE. THESE RESULTS POINT TO THE BENEFICIAL ROLE OF YOGA IN NOT ONLY CAUSING REDUCTION IN BASAL ANXIETY LEVEL BUT ALSO ATTENUATING THE INCREASE IN ANXIETY SCORE IN STRESSFUL STATE SUCH AS EXAMS. THE RESULTS OF THE EXAM INDICATED A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF FAILURES IN YOGA GROUP AS COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP. THE IMPROVEMENT IN VARIOUS PARAMETERS SUCH AS BETTER SENSE OF WELL BEING, FEELING OF RELAXATION, IMPROVED CONCENTRATION, SELF CONFIDENCE, IMPROVED EFFICIENCY, GOOD INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP, INCREASED ATTENTIVENESS, LOWERED IRRITABILITY LEVELS, AND AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK IN LIFE WERE SOME OF THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ENJOYED BY THE YOGA GROUP INDICATED BY FEEDBACK SCORE. 1999 16 177 55 A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF MINDFULNESS VERSUS YOGA: EFFECTS ON DEPRESSION AND/OR ANXIETY IN COLLEGE STUDENTS. BACKGROUND: DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY DISORDERS ARE TWO OF THE MOST COMMON MENTAL DISORDERS IN THE UNITED STATES. THESE DISORDERS ARE PREVALENT AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS. OBJECTIVE: THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO COMPARE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERVENTION PRACTICES (MINDFULNESS VS. YOGA) AND A NONINTERVENTIONAL CONTROL GROUP IN MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF DEPRESSION AND/OR ANXIETY IN COLLEGE STUDENTS. METHOD: A SAMPLE OF 90 STUDENTS (BOTH GENDERS) OVER AGE 18 WHO HAD A DIAGNOSIS OF ANXIETY AND/OR DEPRESSION WAS RECRUITED FROM 11,500 UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE STUDENTS IN A MID-SIZE UNIVERSITY. THE STUDY'S DESIGN INCLUDED STRATIFIED-RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED REPEATED MEASURES WITH THREE GROUPS: A MINDFULNESS INTERVENTION GROUP, A YOGA-ONLY INTERVENTION GROUP, AND A NONINTERVENTIONAL GROUP. PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO THE AFOREMENTIONED THREE GROUPS. PARTICIPANTS IN THE INTERVENTION GROUPS RECEIVED AN 8-WEEK TRAINING EITHER IN MINDFULNESS OR YOGA. DEPRESSIVE, ANXIETY, STRESS SYMPTOMS, SELF-COMPASSION, AND MINDFULNESS WERE MEASURED AT BASELINE, WEEK 4, WEEK 8, AND WEEK 12. RESULTS: DEPRESSIVE, ANXIETY, AND STRESS SYMPTOMS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY (P < .01) FROM BASELINE TO FOLLOW-UP CONDITIONS IN BOTH THE MINDFULNESS AND YOGA INTERVENTION GROUPS. THE CHANGES IN MINDFULNESS SCORES WERE ALSO SIGNIFICANT IN BOTH GROUPS. HOWEVER, THE CHANGES IN SELF-COMPASSION SCORES WERE SIGNIFICANT ONLY IN THE MINDFULNESS INTERVENTION GROUP. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE CONTROL GROUP WERE DEMONSTRATED. CONCLUSIONS: THE FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY CAN PROVIDE USEFUL INFORMATION TO NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. THIS STUDY MAY HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR A COST-EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. 2016 17 2675 44 YOGA IN PUBLIC SCHOOL IMPROVES ADOLESCENT MOOD AND AFFECT. THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO DIRECTLY COMPARE THE ACUTE EFFECTS OF PARTICIPATING IN A SINGLE YOGA CLASS VERSUS A SINGLE STANDARD PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE) CLASS ON STUDENT MOOD. FORTY-SEVEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPLETED SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES ASSESSING MOOD AND AFFECT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER PARTICIPATING IN A SINGLE YOGA CLASS AND A SINGLE PE CLASS ONE WEEK LATER. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING PAIRED-SAMPLES T TESTS AND WILCOXON-SIGNED RANKS TESTS AND BY COMPARING EFFECT SIZES BETWEEN THE TWO CONDITIONS. PARTICIPANTS REPORTED SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER DECREASES IN ANGER, DEPRESSION, AND FATIGUE FROM BEFORE TO AFTER PARTICIPATING IN YOGA COMPARED TO PE. SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN NEGATIVE AFFECT OCCURRED AFTER YOGA BUT NOT AFTER PE; HOWEVER, THE CHANGES WERE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT BETWEEN CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, AFTER PARTICIPATING IN BOTH YOGA AND PE, PARTICIPANTS REPORTED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN CONFUSION AND TENSION, WITH NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROUPS. RESULTS SUGGEST THAT SCHOOL-BASED YOGA MAY PROVIDE UNIQUE BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS ABOVE AND BEYOND PARTICIPATION IN PE. FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD CONTINUE TO ELUCIDATE THE DISTINCT PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF PARTICIPATING IN YOGA COMPARED TO PE ACTIVITIES. 2015 18 1707 38 PATTERNS OF YOGA PRACTICE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOLLOWING A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES. BACKGROUND: THE CURRENT STUDY DESCRIBED PATTERNS OF YOGA PRACTICE AND EXAMINED DIFFERENCES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER TIME BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES WHO COMPLETED AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION COMPARED WITH CONTROLS. METHODS: A LONGITUDINAL COMPARATIVE DESIGN MEASURED THE EFFECT OF A YOGA INTERVENTION ON YOGA PRACTICE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, USING DATA AT BASELINE AND POSTINTERVENTION MONTHS 3, 6, AND 15. RESULTS: DISPARATE PATTERNS OF YOGA PRACTICE OCCURRED BETWEEN INTERVENTION AND CONTROL PARTICIPANTS OVER TIME, BUT THE SUBJECTIVE DEFINITION OF YOGA PRACTICE LIMITS INTERPRETATION. MULTILEVEL MODEL ESTIMATES INDICATED THAT TREATMENT GROUP DID NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE IN THE RATE OF CHANGE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER THE STUDY PERIOD. WHILE AGE AND EDUCATION WERE NOT SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUAL PREDICTORS, THE INCLUSION OF THESE VARIABLES IN THE MODEL DID IMPROVE FIT. CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS INDICATE THAT AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER TIME. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NECESSARY TO EXPLORE THE INFLUENCE OF YOGA ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES. 2012 19 2837 51 YOGA'S IMPACT ON RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR DISORDERED EATING: A PILOT PREVENTION TRIAL. YOGA HAS BEEN PROPOSED AS A STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR EATING DISORDERS, BUT FEW PREVENTION TRIALS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PILOT STUDY WAS TO ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY OF A YOGA SERIES IN FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS (N = 52). PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO A YOGA INTERVENTION (THREE 50-MINUTE YOGA CLASSES/WEEK FOR 10 WEEKS CONDUCTED BY CERTIFIED YOGA TEACHERS WHO RECEIVED A 3-DAY INTENSIVE TRAINING) OR A CONTROL GROUP. RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS, ASSESSED AT BASELINE, 5 AND 10 WEEKS, INCLUDED BODY DISSATISFACTION, NEGATIVE AFFECT, LONELINESS, SELF-COMPASSION, POSITIVE AFFECT, AND MINDFULNESS. MIXED MODELS CONTROLLING FOR BASELINE LEVELS OF OUTCOME VARIABLES WERE RUN. ON AVERAGE, PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED 20 OUT OF 30 YOGA CLASSES, AND THE MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS REPORTED HIGH LEVELS OF SATISFACTION WITH THE YOGA SERIES. APPEARANCE ORIENTATION DECREASED AND POSITIVE AFFECT INCREASED IN THE YOGA GROUP RELATIVE TO THE CONTROL GROUP. AFTER CONTROLLING FOR BASELINE LEVELS, THE YOGA GROUP HAD A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER POSITIVE AFFECT THAN THE CONTROL GROUP. CHANGES IN OTHER OUTCOMES WERE NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, AS COMPARED TO THE CONTROL CONDITION. FUTURE YOGA RESEARCH DIRECTIONS ARE DISCUSSED INCLUDING EDUCATION ABOUT BODY IMAGE, MEASURE AND SAMPLE SELECTION, AND USE OF AN IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE FRAMEWORK. 2020 20 198 47 A REGULAR YOGA INTERVENTION FOR STAFF NURSE SLEEP QUALITY AND WORK STRESS: A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: ALTHOUGH MANY STUDIES HAVE ASSESSED THE EFFICACY OF YOGA IN OLDER INDIVIDUALS, MINIMAL RESEARCH HAS FOCUSED ON HOW NURSES USE YOGA TO IMPROVE SLEEP QUALITY AND TO REDUCE WORK STRESS AFTER WORK HOURS. WE USED THE PITTSBURGH SLEEP QUALITY INDEX IN CHINESE AND THE QUESTIONNAIRE ON MEDICAL WORKER'S STRESS IN CHINESE TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON THE QUALITY OF SLEEP AND WORK STRESS OF STAFF NURSES EMPLOYED BY A GENERAL HOSPITAL IN CHINA. BACKGROUND: DISTURBANCES IN THE CIRCADIAN RHYTHM INTERRUPT AN INDIVIDUAL'S PATTERN OF SLEEP. STUDY DESIGN: CONVENIENT SAMPLING METHOD. METHODS: ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY NURSES WERE RANDOMISED INTO TWO GROUPS: A YOGA GROUP AND A NON-YOGA GROUP. THE YOGA GROUP PERFORMED YOGA MORE THAN TWO TIMES EVERY WEEK FOR 50-60 MINUTES EACH TIME AFTER WORK HOURS. THE NG GROUP DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN YOGA. AFTER SIX MONTHS, SELF-REPORTED SLEEP QUALITY AND WORK STRESS WERE COMPARED BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS, AND THEN WE USED LINEAR REGRESSION TO CONFIRM THE INDEPENDENT FACTORS RELATED TO SLEEP QUALITY. RESULTS: NURSES IN THE YOGA GROUP HAD BETTER SLEEP QUALITY AND LOWER WORK STRESS COMPARED WITH NURSES IN THE NON-YOGA GROUP. THE LINEAR REGRESSION MODEL INDICATED THAT NURSING EXPERIENCE, AGE AND YOGA INTERVENTION WERE SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO SLEEP QUALITY. CONCLUSION: REGULAR YOGA CAN IMPROVE SLEEP QUALITY AND REDUCE WORK STRESS IN STAFF NURSES. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: THIS STUDY PROVIDES EVIDENCE THAT HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO NURSE SLEEP QUALITY AND WORK STRESS, THEREBY TAKING CORRESPONDING MEASURES TO REDUCE WORK PRESSURE AND IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES. 2015