1 2492 136 YOGA AS COMPLEMENTARY CARE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE PLACED IN JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS-A STUDY PLAN. RECENT STUDIES HAVE ESTABLISHED YOGA PRACTICE AS A MAINSTREAM COMPLEMENTARY CLINICAL TOOL WITHIN CORRECTIONAL ENVIRONMENTS. IT IS SHOWN THAT REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE IS COUPLED WITH IMPROVED IMPULSE CONTROL, SUSTAINED ATTENTION, ATTENUATED ANTISOCIAL AND SELF-HARM BEHAVIORS, REDUCED STRESS, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS. NO ACADEMIC RESEARCH UNTIL NOW HAS PROVIDED EVIDENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR INSTITUTIONALIZED YOUNG PEOPLE. IN SWEDEN, EACH YEAR MORE THAN THOUSAND ADOLESCENTS RECEIVE COMPULSORY CARE AT JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS RUN BY THE SWEDISH NATIONAL BOARD OF INSTITUTIONAL CARE. THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CHARACTERIZED BY SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AGGRESSIVE AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIORS, HIGH FREQUENCY OF SELF-HARM, AND THE EXPERIENCE OF ABUSE. MOST OF THEM MANIFEST ATTENTION PROBLEMS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND IMPULSIVITY. THEY HAVE A DRAMATICALLY INCREASED RISK FOR RECIDIVISTIC CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, CONTINUOUS MEDICAL, AND SOCIAL CARE AND UNTIMELY DEATH. THE PRESENT STUDY PLAN AIMS AT EVALUATING, WITH PREVIOUSLY VALIDATED PSYCHOLOGICAL MEASURES, IN A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN, THE EFFECTS OF YOGA PRACTICE FOR INSTITUTIONALIZED ADOLESCENTS. ADOLESCENTS' EXPERIENCES OF PARTICIPATING IN YOGA PRACTICE WILL ALSO BE ASSESSED BY SEMI-STRUCTURED INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS. ETHICAL APPROVAL WAS GIVEN BY THE SWEDISH ETHICAL REVIEW AUTHORITY. IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT YOGA PRACTICE (IN COMBINATION WITH THE STANDARD TREATMENT WITHIN INSTITUTIONAL CARE) WILL REDUCE INSTITUTIONALIZED ADOLESCENTS' AGGRESSION, ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND NEGATIVE AFFECT, AND INCREASE THEIR COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY (IN THE FORM OF INCREASED IMPULSE CONTROL). 2021 2 2665 45 YOGA IN CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY. BACKGROUND: THE EFFECT OF YOGA IN THE REDUCTION OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, ANXIETY, STRESS, ANGER AS WELL AS IN THE INCREASED ABILITY OF BEHAVIORAL CONTROL HAS BEEN SHOWN. THESE EFFECTS OF YOGA ARE HIGHLY RELEVANT FOR PRISON INMATES WHO OFTEN HAVE POOR MENTAL HEALTH AND LOW IMPULSE CONTROL. WHILE IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT YOGA AND MEDITATION CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN IMPROVING SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING, MENTAL HEALTH, AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING WITHIN PRISON POPULATIONS, ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF STUDIES HAVE PROVED THIS, USING RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED SETTINGS. METHODS: A TOTAL OF 152 PARTICIPANTS FROM NINE SWEDISH CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A 10-WEEK YOGA GROUP (ONE CLASS A WEEK; N = 77) OR A CONTROL GROUP (N = 75). BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD, PARTICIPANTS ANSWERED QUESTIONNAIRES MEASURING STRESS, AGGRESSION, AFFECTIVE STATES, SLEEP QUALITY, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND COMPLETED A COMPUTERIZED TEST MEASURING ATTENTION AND IMPULSIVITY. RESULTS: AFTER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD, SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS WERE FOUND ON 13 OF THE 16 VARIABLES WITHIN THE YOGA GROUP (E.G., LESS PERCEIVED STRESS, BETTER SLEEP QUALITY, AN INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, LESS AGGRESSIVE, AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR) AND ON TWO WITHIN THE CONTROL GROUP. COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP, YOGA CLASS PARTICIPANTS REPORTED SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING AND LESS ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR AFTER 10 WEEKS OF YOGA. THEY ALSO SHOWED IMPROVED PERFORMANCE ON THE COMPUTERIZED TEST THAT MEASURES ATTENTION AND IMPULSE CONTROL. CONCLUSION: IT CAN BE CONCLUDED THAT THE YOGA PRACTICED IN SWEDISH CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES HAS POSITIVE EFFECTS ON INMATES' WELL-BEING AND ON CONSIDERABLE RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH RECIDIVISM, SUCH AS IMPULSIVITY AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. ACCORDINGLY, THE RESULTS SHOW THAT YOGA PRACTICE CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE REHABILITATION OF PRISON INMATES. 2017 3 1604 32 MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE - THE CASE FOR YOGA IN SCHOOLS. BACKGROUND: MENTAL WELLBEING AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE IS DETERIORATING. POOR MENTAL WELLBEING CAN BE RELATED TO UNMANAGED STRESS. ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES ARE WIDESPREAD AND RESULT IN YOUNG PEOPLE HAVING STRESSFUL LIVES. STRESS HAS MANY MANIFESTATIONS, AND COPING WITH IT CAN LEAD TO RISKY HEALTH-RELATED BEHAVIOURS. MAIN BODY: A SAFE, SCIENTIFICALLY-SUPPORTED, EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE SET OF STRESS-REDUCTION SKILLS IS PROVIDED BY THE PRACTICE OF YOGA. AT PRESENT, YOGA IS AVAILABLE PRIVATELY, NOT PUBLICLY. AFTER APPROPRIATELY DESIGNED AND EVALUATED INTERVENTIONS, THE PUBLIC PROVISION OF YOGA COULD BE INTEGRATED WITHIN THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM, THEREBY REDUCING THE HIGH PREVALENCE OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION AND OFFERING A PREVENTATIVE STRATEGY TO PROMOTE POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE. SHORT CONCLUSION: WE SUGGEST THAT THE LONG-TERM BENEFITS OF AN INVESTMENT IN A CURRICULUM-EMBEDDED SCHOOL-BASED YOGA PROGRAMME WOULD DO MUCH TO REDUCE STRESS BOTH NOW FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. 2018 4 1218 31 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 5 2453 34 YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: A GUIDE FOR CLINICIANS. YOGA IS BEING USED BY A GROWING NUMBER OF YOUTH AND ADULTS AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING OVERALL HEALTH AND FITNESS. THERE IS ALSO A PROGRESSIVE TREND TOWARD USE OF YOGA AS A MIND-BODY COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE SPECIFIC PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. TO PROVIDE CLINICIANS WITH THERAPEUTICALLY USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT YOGA, THE EVIDENCE EVALUATING YOGA AS AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS IS REVIEWED AND SUMMARIZED. A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOGA AND YOGA THERAPY IS PRESENTED ALONG WITH YOGA RESOURCES AND PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR CLINICAL PRACTITIONERS TO USE WITH THEIR PATIENTS. THE MAJORITY OF AVAILABLE STUDIES WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS SUGGEST BENEFITS TO USING YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION AND SHOW VERY FEW ADVERSE EFFECTS. THESE RESULTS MUST BE INTERPRETED AS PRELIMINARY FINDINGS BECAUSE MANY OF THE STUDIES HAVE METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS THAT PREVENT STRONG CONCLUSIONS FROM BEING DRAWN. YOGA APPEARS PROMISING AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO APPLY IT MOST EFFECTIVELY AND MORE COORDINATED RESEARCH EFFORTS ARE NEEDED. 2010 6 1183 38 EVALUATION OF YOGA FOR PREVENTING ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE RISK FACTORS IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL SETTING: A PRELIMINARY GROUP-RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. ADOLESCENCE IS A KEY DEVELOPMENTAL PERIOD FOR PREVENTING SUBSTANCE USE INITIATION, HOWEVER PREVENTION PROGRAMS SOLELY PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SUBSTANCE USE RARELY CHANGE ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE BEHAVIORS. RECENT RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT MIND-BODY PRACTICES SUCH AS YOGA MAY HAVE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON SEVERAL SUBSTANCE USE RISK FACTORS, AND THAT THESE PRACTICES MAY SERVE AS PROMISING INTERVENTIONS FOR PREVENTING ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE. THE PRIMARY AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO TEST THE EFFICACY OF YOGA FOR REDUCING SUBSTANCE USE RISK FACTORS DURING EARLY ADOLESCENCE. SEVENTH-GRADE STUDENTS IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED BY CLASSROOM TO RECEIVE EITHER A 32-SESSION YOGA INTERVENTION (N = 117) IN PLACE OF THEIR REGULAR PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES OR TO CONTINUE WITH PHYSICAL-EDUCATION-AS-USUAL (N = 94). PARTICIPANTS (63.2 % FEMALE; 53.6 % WHITE) COMPLETED PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION QUESTIONNAIRES ASSESSING EMOTIONAL SELF-REGULATION, PERCEIVED STRESS, MOOD IMPAIRMENT, IMPULSIVITY, SUBSTANCE USE WILLINGNESS, AND ACTUAL SUBSTANCE USE. PARTICIPANTS ALSO COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES AT 6-MONTHS AND 1-YEAR POST-INTERVENTION. RESULTS REVEALED THAT PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONTROL CONDITION WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE WILLING TO TRY SMOKING CIGARETTES IMMEDIATELY POST-INTERVENTION THAN PARTICIPANTS IN THE YOGA CONDITION. IMMEDIATE PRE- TO POST-INTERVENTION DIFFERENCES DID NOT EMERGE FOR THE REMAINING OUTCOMES. HOWEVER, LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP ANALYSES REVEALED A PATTERN OF DELAYED EFFECTS IN WHICH FEMALES IN THE YOGA CONDITION, AND MALES IN THE CONTROL CONDITION, DEMONSTRATED IMPROVEMENTS IN EMOTIONAL SELF-CONTROL. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT SCHOOL-BASED YOGA MAY HAVE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS WITH REGARD TO PREVENTING MALES' AND FEMALES' WILLINGNESS TO SMOKE CIGARETTES, AS WELL AS IMPROVING EMOTIONAL SELF-CONTROL IN FEMALES. HOWEVER ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS REQUIRED, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO THE POTENTIAL LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF MIND-BODY INTERVENTIONS IN SCHOOL SETTINGS. THE PRESENT STUDY CONTRIBUTES TO THE LITERATURE ON ADOLESCENCE BY EXAMINING SCHOOL-BASED YOGA AS A NOVEL PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR SUBSTANCE USE RISK FACTORS. 2017 7 1587 27 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 8 2170 27 THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON ANXIETY AND STRESS. STRESS AND ANXIETY HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED AS CONTRIBUTORS TO MANY CHRONIC DISEASES AND TO DECREASED QUALITY OF LIFE, EVEN WITH PHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT. EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO FIND NON-PHARMACOLOGIC THERAPIES TO RELIEVE STRESS AND ANXIETY, AND YOGA IS ONE OPTION FOR WHICH RESULTS ARE PROMISING. THE FOCUS OF THIS REVIEW IS ON THE RESULTS OF HUMAN TRIALS ASSESSING THE ROLE OF YOGA IN IMPROVING THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY. OF 35 TRIALS ADDRESSING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON ANXIETY AND STRESS, 25 NOTED A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN STRESS AND/OR ANXIETY SYMPTOMS WHEN A YOGA REGIMEN WAS IMPLEMENTED; HOWEVER, MANY OF THE STUDIES WERE ALSO HINDERED BY LIMITATIONS, SUCH AS SMALL STUDY POPULATIONS, LACK OF RANDOMIZATION, AND LACK OF A CONTROL GROUP. FOURTEEN OF THE 35 STUDIES REPORTED BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY, BUT YIELDED INCONSISTENT SUPPORT OF YOGA FOR RELIEF OF STRESS AND ANXIETY. EVALUATION OF THE CURRENT PRIMARY LITERATURE IS SUGGESTIVE OF BENEFITS OF YOGA IN RELIEVING STRESS AND ANXIETY, BUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THIS RELATIONSHIP USING LARGE, WELL-DEFINED POPULATIONS, ADEQUATE CONTROLS, RANDOMIZATION AND LONG DURATION SHOULD BE EXPLORED BEFORE RECOMMENDING YOGA AS A TREATMENT OPTION. 2012 9 1 29 "A FEELING OF CONNECTEDNESS": PERSPECTIVES ON A GENTLE YOGA INTERVENTION FOR WOMEN WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION. MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MDD) IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON AND DEBILITATING HEALTH CONDITIONS IN WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE. MANY WOMEN WITH MDD SEEK OUT COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR THEIR DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, EITHER AS AN ADJUNCT OR ALTERNATIVE TO THE USUAL CARE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS TO UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR THEIR DEPRESSION. THE FINDINGS FROM THIS INTERPRETIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ARE DERIVED FROM INTERVIEWS WITH AND DAILY LOGS BY 12 WOMEN WITH MDD WHO TOOK PART IN AN 8-WEEK GENTLE YOGA INTERVENTION AS PART OF A LARGER PARENT RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED TRIAL. RESULTS SHOW THAT THE WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE OF DEPRESSION INVOLVED STRESS, RUMINATIONS, AND ISOLATION. IN ADDITION, THEIR EXPERIENCES OF YOGA WERE THAT IT SERVED AS A SELF-CARE TECHNIQUE FOR THE STRESS AND RUMINATIVE ASPECTS OF DEPRESSION AND THAT IT SERVED AS A RELATIONAL TECHNIQUE, FACILITATING CONNECTEDNESS AND SHARED EXPERIENCES IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. FUTURE LONG-TERM RESEARCH IS WARRANTED TO EVALUATE THESE CONCEPTS AS POTENTIAL MECHANISMS FOR THE EFFECTS OF YOGA FOR DEPRESSION. 2013 10 1770 41 POTENTIAL LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF A MIND-BODY INTERVENTION FOR WOMEN WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER: SUSTAINED MENTAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS WITH A PILOT YOGA INTERVENTION. DESPITE PHARMACOLOGIC AND PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC ADVANCES OVER THE PAST DECADES, MANY INDIVIDUALS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MDD) EXPERIENCE RECURRENT DEPRESSIVE EPISODES AND PERSISTENT DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS DESPITE TREATMENT WITH THE USUAL CARE. YOGA IS A MIND-BODY THERAPEUTIC MODALITY THAT HAS RECEIVED ATTENTION IN BOTH THE LAY AND RESEARCH LITERATURE AS A POSSIBLE ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION. ALTHOUGH PROMISING, RECENT FINDINGS ABOUT THE POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH EFFECTS OF YOGA ARE LIMITED BECAUSE FEW STUDIES HAVE USED STANDARDIZED OUTCOME MEASURES AND NONE OF THEM HAVE INVOLVED LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP BEYOND A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD. THE GOAL OF OUR RESEARCH STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY, AND EFFECTS OF A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR WOMEN WITH MDD USING STANDARDIZED OUTCOME MEASURES AND A LONG FOLLOW-UP PERIOD (1YEAR AFTER THE INTERVENTION). THE KEY FINDING IS THAT PREVIOUS YOGA PRACTICE HAS LONG-TERM POSITIVE EFFECTS, AS REVEALED IN BOTH QUALITATIVE REPORTS OF PARTICIPANTS' EXPERIENCES AND IN THE QUANTITATIVE DATA ABOUT DEPRESSION AND RUMINATION SCORES OVER TIME. ALTHOUGH GENERALIZABILITY OF THE STUDY FINDINGS IS LIMITED BECAUSE OF A VERY SMALL SAMPLE SIZE AT THE 1-YEAR FOLLOW-UP ASSESSMENT, THE TRENDS IN THE DATA SUGGEST THAT EXPOSURE TO YOGA MAY CONVEY A SUSTAINED POSITIVE EFFECT ON DEPRESSION, RUMINATIONS, STRESS, ANXIETY, AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE. WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL CONTINUES WITH YOGA PRACTICE, SIMPLE EXPOSURE TO A YOGA INTERVENTION APPEARS TO PROVIDE SUSTAINED BENEFITS TO THE INDIVIDUAL. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS RARE THAT ANY INTERVENTION, PHARMACOLOGIC OR NON-PHARMACOLOGIC, FOR DEPRESSION CONVEYS SUCH SUSTAINED EFFECTS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MDD, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE TREATMENT IS DISCONTINUED. 2014 11 1512 29 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 12 2179 28 THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON PATIENTS WITH MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND DEMENTIA: A SCOPING REVIEW. YOGA IS AN ANCIENT MIND BODY PRACTICE. ALTHOUGH YOGA HAS BEEN USED AS A COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH APPROACH FOR ENHANCING WELLNESS AND ADDRESSING A VARIETY OF HEALTH ISSUES, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING IN ADULTS WITH MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT (MCI) AND DEMENTIA. WE CONDUCTED A LITERATURE REVIEW TO EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON PERSONS WITH MCI AND DEMENTIA. EIGHT STUDIES WERE IDENTIFIED THAT REPORTED ON YOGA AS EITHER THE PRIMARY INTERVENTION OR ONE COMPONENT OF A MULTI-COMPONENT INTERVENTION IN SAMPLES OF PERSONS WITH MCI OR DEMENTIA. RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY HAVE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING, PARTICULARLY ON ATTENTION AND VERBAL MEMORY. FURTHER, YOGA MAY AFFECT COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING THROUGH IMPROVED SLEEP, MOOD, AND NEURAL CONNECTIVITY. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF LIMITATIONS OF THE EXISTING STUDIES, INCLUDING A LACK OF INTERVENTION DETAILS, AS WELL AS VARIABILITY IN THE FREQUENCY/DURATION AND COMPONENTS OF THE YOGA INTERVENTIONS. A FURTHER COMPLICATING ISSUE IS THE ROLE OF VARIOUS UNDERLYING ETIOLOGIES OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. DESPITE THESE LIMITATIONS, PROVIDERS MAY CONSIDER RECOMMENDING YOGA TO PERSONS WITH MCI OR DEMENTIA AS A SAFE AND POTENTIALLY BENEFICIAL COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH APPROACH. 2019 13 1588 43 MEDICAL YOGA: ANOTHER WAY OF BEING IN THE WORLD-A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PERSONS SUFFERING FROM STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS. THE PREVALENCE OF STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS HAS GROWN IN RECENT YEARS. MANY OF THESE PATIENTS SEEK HELP IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE. YOGA CAN REDUCE STRESS AND THUS COMPLEMENTS PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY IN MEDICAL PRACTICE. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, NO STUDIES HAVE INVESTIGATED PATIENTS' EXPERIENCES OF YOGA TREATMENT IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTING OR, SPECIFICALLY, THE EXPERIENCES OF YOGA WHEN SUFFERING FROM STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS. THUS, THE AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE THE MEANING OF PARTICIPATING IN MEDICAL YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTING. THIS STUDY HAS A DESCRIPTIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL DESIGN AND TOOK PLACE AT A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTRE IN SWEDEN DURING 2011. FIVE WOMEN AND ONE MAN (43-51 YEARS) PARTICIPATED. THEY WERE RECRUITED FROM THE INTERVENTION GROUP (N=18) IN A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL, IN WHICH THEY HAD PARTICIPATED IN A MEDICAL YOGA GROUP IN ADDITION TO STANDARD CARE FOR 12 WEEKS. DATA WERE COLLECTED BY MEANS OF QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS, AND A PHENOMENOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED. THE ESSENTIAL MEANING OF THE MEDICAL YOGA EXPERIENCE WAS THAT THE MEDICAL YOGA WAS NOT AN ENDPOINT OF RECOVERY BUT THE START OF A PROCESS TOWARDS AN INCREASED SENSE OF WHOLENESS. IT WAS DESCRIBED AS A WAY OF ALLEVIATING SUFFERING, AND IT PROVIDED THE PARTICIPANTS WITH A TOOL FOR DEALING WITH THEIR STRESS AND CURRENT SITUATION ON A PRACTICAL LEVEL. IT LED TO GREATER SELF-AWARENESS AND SELF-ESTEEM, WHICH IN TURN HAD AN IMPLICIT IMPACT ON THEIR LIFEWORLD. IN PHENOMENOLOGICAL TERMS, THIS CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS ANOTHER WAY OF BEING IN THE WORLD, ENCOMPASSING A PERCEPTION OF DEEPENED IDENTITY. FROM A PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE, DUE TO USING THE BODY IN A NEW WAY (YOGA), THE PARTICIPANTS HAD LEARNT TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY, WHICH ENRICHED AND RECAST THEIR PERCEPTION OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR LIVES. 2014 14 2520 37 YOGA COMPLEMENTS COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY AS AN ADJUNCT TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION: QUALITATIVE FINDINGS FROM A MIXED-METHODS STUDY. OBJECTIVES: COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (CBT) IS RECOMMENDED FOR TREATING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, DEMONSTRATING GOOD EFFICACY AND MODERATE RATES OF ENGAGEMENT. TO FURTHER IMPROVE OUTCOMES AND ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENTS, RESEARCHERS HAVE SOUGHT TO ENHANCE CBT PROTOCOLS WITH MINDFULNESS-BASED APPROACHES, SUCH AS YOGA. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXAMINE WHETHER YOGA IS AN ACCEPTABLE AND COMPLEMENTARY ADJUNCT TO CBT THROUGH EXPLORING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION WHO ENGAGED IN AN ADJUNCT THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME ALONGSIDE GROUP CBT. DESIGN: SINGLE-GROUP QUALITATIVE DESIGN WITH POST-INTERVENTION AND FOLLOW-UP TIMEPOINTS. METHODS: THIRTY-SIX ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SELF-SELECTED INTO A THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME AS AN ADJUNCT TO GROUP CBT. QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 27 PARTICIPANTS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE EIGHT-WEEK PROGRAMME AND AGAIN THREE MONTHS LATER. THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS USED TO IDENTIFY COMMON THEMES FROM THE LIVED EXPERIENCES. RESULTS: THREE PRIMARY THEMES, WITH NINE SUBTHEMES, WERE IDENTIFIED WHICH REFLECT THE EXPERIENCES OF THE COMBINED THERAPIES, THE COMPLEMENTARY ELEMENTS, AND PROCESS OF ENGAGEMENT OVER TIME. THE ADJUNCT YOGA PROGRAMME WAS HIGHLY ACCEPTABLE TO ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, ENHANCING ENGAGEMENT AND PERCEIVED OUTCOMES. YOGA WAS IDENTIFIED AS PROVIDING A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF ELEMENTS THAT COMPLEMENTED PROCESSES OF CBT, SUCH AS BEHAVIOURAL ACTIVATION AND THOUGHT DISPUTATION. YOGA PRACTICES REPRESENTED MENTAL HEALTH SELF-MANAGEMENT TOOLS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE AS RELAPSE PREVENTION STRATEGIES. CONCLUSIONS: THERAPEUTIC YOGA WARRANTS CONSIDERATION AS AN ADJUNCT TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AS IT OFFERS UNIQUE AND COMPLEMENTARY ELEMENTS TO CBT AND CAN ENHANCE ENGAGEMENT AND PERCEIVED CLINICAL OUTCOMES. PRACTITIONER POINTS: ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION EXPERIENCED A THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME AS A SUITABLE AND APPEALING ADJUNCT THAT ENHANCED ENGAGEMENT WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT. YOGA OFFERS A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF ELEMENTS, INCLUDING A VALUES SYSTEM, BODY-BASED MINDFULNESS PRACTICES, AND BREATHING TECHNIQUES, THAT COMPLEMENT CBT PROCESSES, SUCH AS BEHAVIOURAL ACTIVATION, AWARENESS OF MALADAPTIVE PATTERNS, AND THOUGHT DISPUTATION. A THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMME PROVIDES ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION WITH AN ACCESSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE MENTAL HEALTH SELF-MANAGEMENT TOOL. THERAPEUTIC YOGA CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR INTEGRATION TO MODELS OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVISION TO ENHANCE ENGAGEMENT AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES FOR ADULTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. 2021 15 2903 22 [HOW SHOULD YOGA IN ANOREXIA NERVOSA TREATMENT BE APPLIED? A QUALITATIVE PILOT STUDY ON YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL FROM PATIENTS' PERSPECTIVE]. AN ALTERED INTEROCEPTION IS A CENTRAL CORRELATE OF ANOREXIA NERVOSA (AN) AND ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE OFFERS A PROMISING APPROACH IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. FIRST RESULTS HAVE SHOWN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA AS A BODY-FOCUSED INTERVENTION IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. HOWEVER, TO DATE THERE IS A LACK OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE REGARDING THE QUESTION HOW YOGA STRATEGIES AND YOGA ELEMENTS (POSTURES, RELAXATION, BREATH, MEDITATION) SHOULD BE APPLIED. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, WE CONDUCTED A QUALITATIVE PILOT STUDY WITH N=6 FEMALE PATIENTS WITH AN UNDERGOING TREATMENT IN A SPECIALIST UNIT SUPPORTING RE-INSERTION SUBSEQUENT TO A PRECEDING INPATIENT AN TREATMENT. STUDY PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED A WEEKLY ONE-HOUR HATHA-YOGA INTERVENTION OVER AT LEAST 12 WEEKS. AFTER THE YOGA INTERVENTION, SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS (1/2 TO 1 HOUR) WERE CONDUCTED TO ASSESS THE EXPERIENCES OF THE STUDY PARTICIPANTS DURING THE YOGA INTERVENTION. THE DATA WERE ANALYZED USING GROUNDED THEORY. AT THE UPPER LEVEL OF ANALYSIS, FOUR CATEGORIES WERE DIFFERENTIATED: INFORMATION REGARDING 1) STUDY PARTICIPANTS' SYMPTOMS, 2) ASPECTS OF THE SETTING EXPERIENCED TO BE BENEFICIAL, 3) YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL AND 4) PERCEIVED CONSEQUENCES OF YOGA STRATEGIES. WITH REGARD TO THE YOGA STRATEGIES PERCEIVED TO BE BENEFICIAL, ANALYSES REVEALED 4 SUBCATEGORIES: FEATURES OF 1) POSTURES AND MOVEMENTS, 2) BREATH AND MEDITATION EXERCISES, 3) RELAXATION EXERCISES AND 4) GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SETTING. THE RESULTS GIVE FIRST INDICATIONS REGARDING THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF AN AND POTENTIAL MECHANISMS. FURTHER QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE STUDIES ARE NEEDED, E.G., WITH REGARD TO EFFECTIVENESS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, MEDIATORS OR MODERATORS TO BETTER EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. 2021 16 1718 37 PERCEIVED STRESS, RESILIENCE, WELL-BEING, AND COVID 19 RESPONSE IN ISHA YOGA PRACTITIONERS COMPARED TO MATCHED CONTROLS: A RESEARCH PROTOCOL. OBJECTIVES: THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT STRESSOR WORLDWIDE AND REPORTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, DEPRESSION, SEDENTARY LIFESTYLES, AND OVERALL DECREASED WELLBEING ARE INCREASING. YOGA PRACTICES HAVE BEEN FOUND TO IMPROVE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL IS TO COMPARE ISHA YOGA PRACTITIONERS TO CONTROLS ON PERCEIVED STRESS, RESILIENCE, WELLBEING, AND PROTECTION AND RECOVERY FROM COVID-19. TRIAL DESIGN. IN THIS PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL, THE EFFECTS OF YOGA PRACTICES ARE BEING COMPARED BETWEEN SEASONED YOGA PRACTITIONERS WITH TWO CONTROLS WHO ARE AGE (+/-3 YEARS), GENDER MATCHED, AND LIVING IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD. METHODS: PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ASKED TO COMPLETE A SERIES OF WEB-BASED SURVEYS AT BASELINE, SIX WEEKS, AND 12 WEEKS. THESE SURVEYS INCLUDE VALIDATED SCALES AND OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS ON COVID-19 INFECTION AND MEDICAL HISTORY. THE VALIDATED QUESTIONNAIRES ASSESS STRESS, MOOD STATES, RESILIENCE, AND OVERALL WELLBEING. QUESTIONNAIRES, WEEKLY ACTIVITY DIARIES, AND MEDICAL HISTORY, WILL BE COLLECTED USING REDCAP. RESULTS: WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT ROUTINE YOGA PRACTICE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WILL REDUCE STRESS, ENHANCE WELL-BEING, AND PROVIDE PROTECTIVE EFFECTS AGAINST COVID-19. CONCLUSION: WITH THE GROWING CONCERN ABOUT THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL IMPACTS OF COVID-19 AND INCREASED INTEREST IN ALTERNATIVE PRACTICES SUCH AS YOGIC PRACTICES, THIS STUDY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROWING BODY OF EVIDENCE ABOUT THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF YOGA FOR EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. 2021 17 2848 29 YOGA, MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS IN PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY - A REVIEW OF LITERATURE. PURPOSE: CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR CANCER ARE EXPOSED TO A WIDE VARIETY OF STRESSORS BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL. NOT ONLY ADULTS BUT ALSO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS INCREASINGLY PRACTICE YOGA IN A HEALTH-PROMOTING MANNER AND TO COPE WITH STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. METHODS: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE WAS CONDUCTED TO PRESENT THE CURRENT OUTCOMES ON YOGA, MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WHO ARE AFFECTED BY AN ONCOLOGICAL DISEASE. RESULTS: EIGHT STUDIES WERE IDENTIFIED THAT EXAMINED YOGA TREATMENT FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ONCOLOGICAL DISEASES. THREE STUDIES WERE FOUND ON MINDFULNESS IN PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY. THE STUDIES SUMMARIZED HERE SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS COULD HELP TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, REDUCE FATIGUE, IMPROVE ACTIVITY AND FITNESS LEVELS, IMPROVE SLEEP QUALITY, INCREASE APPETITE AND DECREASE ANXIETY IN VARIOUS STAGES OF THE DISEASE AND ITS TREATMENT. THE REVIEWED STUDIES SHOWED THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ONCOLOGICAL ILLNESSES ARE FEASIBLE IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS AND ARE WELL RECEIVED. CONCLUSIONS: THE RESULTS OF THE STUDIES SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS MAY HELP TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS DURING AND AFTER ONCOLOGICAL TREATMENT. BASED ON THE CURRENT BODY OF EVIDENCE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE EFFICACY OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS IN PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY PATIENTS. RESEARCH MUST MEET THIS CHALLENGE TO DEVELOP SUITABLE DESIGNS TO FURTHER AND BETTER INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ONCOLOGICAL DISEASES. 2021 18 2402 30 YOGA AND EATING DISORDERS: IS THERE A PLACE FOR YOGA IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS AND DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIOURS? THIS PAPER ADDRESSES THE QUESTION: WHAT CAN THE PRACTICE OF YOGA OFFER THE FIELD OF EATING DISORDERS IN TERMS OF PREVENTION AND TREATMENT? REGARDING PREVENTION, PRELIMINARY RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT YOGA MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN DECREASING RISK FACTORS, AND INCREASING PROTECTIVE FACTORS, FOR EATING DISORDERS. YOGA WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE HELPFUL IN A SMALL NUMBER OF TREATMENT STUDIES. HOWEVER, FINDINGS ARE NOT CONSISTENT ACROSS STUDIES, WHICH ARE LIMITED IN NUMBER, AND DUE TO THE PRELIMINARY NATURE OF THIS BODY OF RESEARCH, MOST STUDIES HAVE WEAKNESSES IN THEIR DESIGNS (E.G. OBSERVATIONAL DESIGN, NO CONTROL GROUPS, OR SMALL SAMPLE SIZES). THE BASIC TENETS OF YOGA, ANECDOTAL REPORTS OF ITS EFFECTIVENESS, ITS HIGH ACCESSIBILITY AND LOW COST, AND INITIAL RESEARCH FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY OFFER PROMISE FOR THE FIELD OF EATING DISORDERS. TWO OPTIONS ARE SUGGESTED FOR PREVENTION: (1) EATING DISORDER PREVENTION CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO ONGOING YOGA CLASSES AND (2) YOGA CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO EATING DISORDER PREVENTION PROGRAMMES. REGARDING TREATMENT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT TEACHING STYLES AND PRACTICES FOR DIFFERENT EATING DISORDERS. POTENTIAL HARMS OF YOGA SHOULD ALSO BE EXPLORED. FURTHER RESEARCH, USING STRONGER STUDY DESIGNS, SUCH AS RANDOMISED, CONTROLLED TRIALS, IS NEEDED. 2014 19 2774 39 YOGA RESEARCH REVIEW. THIS PAPER IS A REVIEW OF EMPIRICAL STUDIES, REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS PUBLICATIONS ON YOGA FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS. THE REVIEW INCLUDES DEMOGRAPHICS/PREVALENCE OF YOGA AS A PRACTICE, BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSES OF THE YOGA PUBLICATIONS AND THE USE OF YOGA FOR PHYSICAL FITNESS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION. MOST OF THE STUDIES REVIEWED HERE INVOLVE YOGA EFFECTS ON PSYCHIATRIC AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS. THESE INCLUDE PREGNANCY, PRENATAL AND POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION; STRESS, PTSD, ANXIETY, AND OBESITY; CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS INCLUDING HYPERTENSION; PAIN SYNDROMES INCLUDING ARTHRITIS, HEADACHES AND LOW BACK PAIN; AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS INCLUDING ASTHMA, TYPE II DIABETES AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS; IMMUNE CONDITIONS INCLUDING HIV AND BREAST CANCER; AND AGING PROBLEMS INCLUDING BALANCE, OSTEOPOROSIS AND PARKINSON'S. THE METHODS AND RESULTS OF THOSE STUDIES ARE BRIEFLY SUMMARIZED ALONG WITH THEIR LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. BASICALLY YOGA HAS BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN CONTROL AND WAITLIST CONTROL CONDITIONS, ALTHOUGH NOT ALWAYS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TREATMENT COMPARISON GROUPS SUCH AS OTHER FORMS OF EXERCISE. MORE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDIES ARE NEEDED IN WHICH YOGA IS COMPARED TO ACTIVE EXERCISE GROUPS. HAVING ESTABLISHED THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA MAKES IT ETHICALLY QUESTIONABLE TO ASSIGN PARTICIPANTS TO INACTIVE CONTROL GROUPS. SHORTER SESSIONS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND FOR DAILY PRACTICE. MULTIPLE PHYSICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE SELF-REPORT RESEARCH PROTOCOLS AND POTENTIAL UNDERLYING MECHANISMS NEED TO BE FURTHER EXPLORED. IN THE INTERIM, THE STUDIES REVIEWED HERE HIGHLIGHT THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA, A PRACTICE THAT COULD COME TO BE CALLED YOGA THERAPY. 2016 20 1164 39 EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA-BASED PROGRAM INTEGRATED WITH THIRD-WAVE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY COMPONENTS ON SELF-REGULATION IN CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM: A PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. LAY ABSTRACT: CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTIES WITH THE REGULATION OF ATTENTION, THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS, AND BEHAVIOR, UNDERSTANDING, AND EXPRESSING THEIR EMOTIONS APPROPRIATELY, AS WELL AS ANXIETY, AND SLEEP. IN AUTISM RESEARCH, CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICES THAT WORK THROUGH BOTH BODY AND MIND HAVE SHOWN TENTATIVELY PROMISING RESULTS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE LIMITED STUDIES ON THIS TOPIC, AND THE USE OF YOGA TO FACILITATE EXECUTIVE CONTROL HAS NOT BEEN RESEARCHED YET. THE INCREDIBLE EXPLORERS (6-WEEK PROGRAM), A YOGA-INFORMED INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN (8-12 YEARS), WAS DEVELOPED TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER, FOR CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, THE TRAINING COULD IMPROVE THE ABILITY TO SELF-REGULATE, REDUCE ANXIETY AND SLEEP PROBLEMS, AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF EMOTIONS. IN OUR SAMPLE, 61 CHILDREN WITH ONE OF THEIR PARENTS COMPLETED THE PROGRAM. HALF OF THE GROUP RECEIVED THE INTERVENTION, AND THE OTHER HALF HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE YOGA GROUP COMPLETED THEIR TRIAL. THE PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED TO GIVE THEIR FEEDBACK IMMEDIATELY AFTER PROGRAM COMPLETION AND AT 6-WEEK FOLLOW-UP. COMPARED TO THE GROUP THAT WAS WAITING TO RECEIVE THE INTERVENTION, PARENTS IN THE YOGA GROUP REPORTED SIGNIFICANT GAINS FOR THEIR CHILDREN IN REGULATING THEIR OVERALL EXECUTIVE CONTROL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SESSION AND AGAIN AT FOLLOW-UP. THE PARENTS REPORTED A REDUCTION IN SOME OF THE SLEEP PROBLEMS POST-TREATMENT. CHILDREN INDICATED AN IMPROVED ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE THEIR FEELINGS AND WILLINGNESS TO ANALYZE THEIR EMOTIONS POST-INTERVENTION. HOWEVER, THE STUDY HAD SEVERAL SHORTCOMINGS AND GIVEN THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TRIAL OF THE PROGRAM, THE RESULTS NEED TO BE INTERPRETED WITH CAUTION. FURTHER RESEARCH IS RECOMMENDED. 2021