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National Yoga Week 2014 Yoga for Youth
123
Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga
A Study on the Effect of Yogic Intervention on Anxiety among Youth
Dr. Kamakhya Kumar
Chief coordinator, Center of Complementary & Alternative Medicine,
Dept of Yoga and Health, Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, India
Email: kamakhya.kumar@gmail.com
Introduction
Anxiety is a general term for several disorders that cause nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worrying. These
disorders affect how we feel and behave, and they can manifest real physical symptoms. Mild anxiety is vague
and unsettling, while severe anxiety can be extremely debilitating, having a serious impact on daily life.
People often experience a general state of worry or fear before confronting something challenging such as a test,
examination, recital, or interview. These feelings are easily justified and considered normal. Anxiety is
considered a problem when symptoms interfere with a person's ability to sleep or otherwise function. Generally
speaking, anxiety occurs when a reaction is out of proportion with what might be normally expected in a
situation.
Current researches on anxiety disorder prove that anxiety disorders are unceasing, relentless and can even grow
worse if not properly treated. Modern scientific research tells us that improved treatments are being gradually
introduced and implemented to treat severe anxiety disorders.
In modern societies, human beings are gradually becoming more uncompromising and egoistic resulting in
unsuccessful marital relationships. Such situations adversely affect the young generation of the family and they
feel absolutely unsecured and left out.
According to current researches on anxiety disorder, such kinds of social problems may greatly affect the
progressive attitude of the future generation. There are several studies done in the area of Anxiety management
through yoga and allied systems of therapy.
One of the study concludes that the effect of Yoga nidra on stress and anxiety on college going students. The
study was conducted at the Yoga clinic of Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya. Practice time was 30 minutes and
duration was 6months. 80students were taken from P.G. Yoga classes for observing the effect as well as 30 was
in control group. The result shows a significant change in the practice group as yoga nidra positively decreases
the stress and anxiety level of both the male and female subjects1.
Another study done in this area shows a significant change due to the effect of Yoga Based Lifestyle
Intervention on State and Trait Anxiety of the subjects2.
A group of researcher states after their study that the effect of yoga on depression and anxiety of women
referred to yoga clinic were found very significant3.
One of the studies concludes with a significant change as an effect of Yoga Intervention on Anxiety and
Subjective well-being of the practitioners4.
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One such study states that the Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Meditation Therapy on Anxiety, Depression, and
Spirituality in Japanese Patients with Cancer and find a significant change in above mentioned parameters5.
One of the study states that the effect on the volunteers of a Yoga Practice Session and a Yoga Theory Session,
and find a significant change on the level of State Anxiety6.
The above study shows that researchers are keen to know the effect of Yoga on various directions; thus it is the
right time to go deep into the search of the impact of Yoga having the following aims and objectives: to study
the effect of yoga on Anxiety level of the normal subjects.
Methods:
The study is based on the data collected on 30 subjects (20 males and 10 females), age ranging 20 - 30 years,
who attended regular Yoga session provided to the people with common health problems comes to Center of
Complementary & Alternative Medicine, at Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, India. Although 45
subjects were selected for the study, due to various reasons 15 subjects could not complete the study. The study
was approved by the ethical committee of Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya. The subjects were a heterogeneous
group having Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity and joints problem but otherwise healthy and were voluntarily
wanted to join Yoga session for general physical mental wellbeing.
The subjects were selected from the semi urban area of Haridwar and Dehradun Districts through purposive
sampling as experimental group. They practiced a set of Asana and Pranayama regularly for sixty days under
the guidance of a Yoga Expert. The Yoga Sessions consisted of an integrated package of Asana and Pranayama
regularly the protocol of the session is given below in Table 1.
Table 1. – Yogic Intervention introduced to the subjects
In this pre – post research study the anxiety level has been measured through Sinha’s Comprehensive Anxiety
Scale7 and the data has been analyzed through Proper Statistical Method on ’t’ test basis. The result has been
shown in the table 2.
Sr.
No Practice Physical Awareness Rounds Duration
1 Tadasana Spine 5 120 sec.
2 Tiryak Tadasana Wastes 5 120 sec
3 Kati chakrasana Scapulas 5 120 sec
4 Surya Namaskar All internal organs 2 180 sec
5 Shavasana Whole muscles - 300 sec
6 Kapalbhati Abdomen 100-150 120 sec
7 Nadisodhan Eyebrow Centre 5 240 sec
8 Ujjai Throat region 10 240 sec
9 Bhramari Brain region 10 240 sec
10 Om chanting Whole Head region - 120 sec
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Results:
Table 2. – Difference between pre and post value at the Anxiety level of subjects.
Mean SD T value Significance level
Pre 33.43 5.78 15.93 0.01
Post 29 5.62
Mean and standard deviation of the pre and post values of anxiety level of the subjects practiced the Yoga has
been shown in the table. Where N = 30, M1 = 33.43, M2 = 29, df= 29 as well as the t value is 15.93, which is
significant at 0.01 level of confidence.
Discussion & Conclusion:
The reduction into the anxiety level is a normal mechanism as per the effect of Yoga Practice, as yogic practices
stop the fluctuation of the Mind. Due to excessive activity on the mental plane, the mind always remains in a
state of arousal, which results in anxiety. Throughout life the mind is fed with negative data. In the practice of
yoga, especially during shavasana and breath awareness, the mind is relaxed, thereby releasing the mental
tensions. In this way, through the regular and sincere practice of yoga, tensions at the physical, and anxiety at
mental level can be minimized.
Practice of Yoga stops the uncontrolled and uninterrupted thoughts. So the set of Asana and Pranayama in
combination plays a vital role for anxiety. Previous researches also support our study. Gersten, D J (1978) said
that the practitioner of Yoga becomes his own psychotherapist, recognizing and systematically alleviating his
own personal problems and interpersonal difficulties8. Matthew, R J (1981) reported that yoga is a successful
therapy for both recent and long-standing psychological disturbances of all kinds, especially high anxiety levels
and neurotic behavior patterns9. Telles, S. Gaur, V. Balkrishna, 2009 observed the effect of a Yoga Practice
Session and a Yoga Theory Session on Anxiety level10. In this manner, various researches show that the practice
of Yoga can be successfully administered to manage various psychological disorders. As the previous studies
shows that practice of Yoga, Meditation and Relaxation significantly lowers the psychological problems.
Reference
1. Kumar K 2004; A Study on the Impact of Yoga Nidra on Anxiety and Stress Level; Yoga Mimamsa,
Vol 36 no.3:163-169
2. Gupta, N. Khera, S. Vempati, R. P. Sharma, R. Bijlani, R. L. 2006; Effect of Yoga Based Lifestyle
Intervention on State and Trait Anxiety; Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology Vol 50; No
1, page(s) 41-47
3. Javanbakht, M. Morvarid, M. Kenari, R. H. 2008; Effect of yoga on depression and anxiety of women
referred to yoga clinic; European Psychatry Vol 23; Supp/2, page(s) S213-S214
4. Jadhav, S.G. Havalappanavar, N.B. 2009; Effect of Yoga Intervention on Anxiety and Subjective well-
being; Indian Academy of Applied Psychology Vol 35; No 1, page(s) 27-32
5. Morita, T. Akechi, T. Ito, S. Tanaka, M. Ifuku, Y. Nakayama, T. 2009; The Efficacy of Mindfulness-
Based Meditation Therapy on Anxiety, Depression, and Spirituality in Japanese Patients with Cancer
Journal of Palliative Medicine Vol 12; No 12, page(s) 1091-1094
6. Telles, S. Gaur, V. Balkrishna, 2009 Effect of a Yoga Practice Session and a Yoga Theory Session on
State Anxiety A. Perceptual and Motor Skill Vol 109; No 3, page(s) 924-930
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7. Sinha A K P and Sinha L N K (1973) Sinha’s Comprehensive Anxiety Test (SCAT) National
Psychological Corporation, Agra.
8. Gersten, D.J., (1978). Meditation as an adjunct to medical and psychiatric treatment. Amer. J. Psychiat.,
135:5.
9. Matthew, R.J., (1981). Anxiety and platelet MAO levels after relaxation training. Amer. J. Psychiat.,
138(3): 371-373.
10. Telles, S. Gaur, V. Balkrishna, 2009 Effect of a Yoga Practice Session and a Yoga Theory Session on
State Anxiety A. Perceptual and Motor Skill Vol 109; No 3, page(s) 924-930
Acknowledgemen:
I would take the blessings of our Gurudev and Mataji (Acharya Pandit Sriram Sharma and Bhagvati Deve
Sharma on this occasion. At the same time I am pleased to be a part of Dev Sanskriti University, and I got an
opportunity to do some empirical studies like this; hence I would be always grateful to the Hon’ble Chancellor,
Dr. Pranav Pandya Ji for giving me a chance in this University. I would like to acknowledge the Director, Dept.
of Yoga and Health, for his moral support and encouragement. I would like to remember all the volunteers and
supporting staff of Center of Complementary & Alternative Medicine, who supported this study and brought it
into the final stage.