A study of combined effect of yoga (yogic exercises, pranayama & meditation) on hyper-reactivity to cold pressor test in healthy individuals -

Background: Now a day, stress is dangerous & significant problems of World & affects physical, mental, behavioral, & emotional health. Yoga has been reported to control stress, to be beneficial in treating stress related disorders, improving autonomic functions, lower blood pressure, increase strength & flexibility of muscles, improve the sense of well being, slow ageing process, control breathing, reducing signs of oxidative stress & improving spiritual growth. Aims & Objective: The aim of present study was to investigate whether regular practice of Yoga for six months can reduce the cardiovascular hyper-reactivity induced by cold pressor test. Materials and methods: The study group comprised 75 healthy subjects of 25-45 years age group. Initially there were 27 hyperreactors to cold pressor test. The hyper-reactivity of 22 volunteers converted to hypo-reactivity after the yoga therapy of six months (81.48%). Other parameters like basal blood pressure, rise in blood pressure, pulse rate and rate of respiration were also statistically significantly reduced (by using student ‘t’ test) Results: Regular practice of yoga significantly reduces the cardiovascular hyper-reactivity in basal blood pressure, rise in blood pressure after one minute of cold stress, pulse rate, & rate of respiration, after six month of yoga practice. Conclusion: Regular practice of yoga for six months reduced the cardiovascular hyper-reactivity to cold pressor test in subjects, who were hyper reactive to cold stress, possibly by inducing parasympathetic predominance and cortico-hypothalamomedullary inhibition.