Does yoga influence happiness and mental balance: a comparison between yoga practitioners and non yoga practitioners?

Abstract

The present study was conducted to compare the level
of happiness and mental balance between yoga and
non yoga practitioners. Two hundred participants with
ages ranging between 17 and 27 years (group mean
age ± S.D., 23.4 ± 2.7 years) were participated, who
were studying in the north of India. Out of them 100
students were experienced in yoga practice and rest of
them were not experienced in yoga practice.
Participants were assessed for happiness and mental
balance using well-being manifestation measuring
scale. Unpaired t-test was performed using PASW
(SPSS version 18.0) to compare happiness and mental
balance between yoga and non yoga practitioner. Yoga
practitioners showed higher levels of happiness
(p<0.001) and of mental balance (p<0.01) compared to
non yoga practitioners. Participants with yoga
experience had high level of happiness and mental
balance compare to non yoga practitioners. This could
happen because of yoga calms the mind of the
participants. This study stresses the importance of
objective comparing persons with yoga variables when
experience and those who are yoga naïve.

Full text

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OJMR 2016 | July - September 2016 | Volume 2 | Issue 3 | Pages 1-5 ISSN (Online): 2395-4892
Published online by Association for Indian Psychology, Rishikesh, India Quarterly, Peer-reviewed, Int. Journal
Online Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (OJMR)
September 2016, 2(3), 1-5
ORIGINAL ARTICLE OPEN ACCESS
Does yoga influence happiness and mental
balance: a comparison between yoga practitioners
and non yoga practitioners?
*Ram Kumar Gupta, **Shailendra Singh and ***Narendra Singh
*Scientist, Patanjali Research Foundation, Haridwar & PhD Research Scholar, Department of
Psychology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India
**Associate Professor, Govt GD Girls College, Alwar, India
***Assistant Professor, University of Patanjali, Haridwar, India
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article History:
---------------------------
Received: 01-07-2016
Revised: 19-08-2016
Accepted: 31-08-2016
Published: 01-09-2016
Keywords:
---------------------------
Yoga Practitioner, Happiness,
Mental balance
Article code: OJMR231
Access online at: www.ojmr.in
Source of support: Nil
Conflict of interest: None declared
Indexed in: Open J-Gate, Indian Science,
Google Scholar, Scientific Indexing Services
*Corresponding Author:
Mr. Ram Kumar Gupta
Scientist, PRF, Haridwar &
Research Scholar,
University of Rajasthan,
Jaipur - 302004, India.
Email: ram.pyp@gmail.com
Summary:
The present study was conducted to compare the level
of happiness and mental balance between yoga and
non yoga practitioners. Two hundred participants with
ages ranging between 17 and 27 years (group mean
age ± S.D., 23.4 ± 2.7 years) were participated, who
were studying in the north of India. Out of them 100
students were experienced in yoga practice and rest of
them were not experienced in yoga practice.
Participants were assessed for happiness and mental
balance using well-being manifestation measuring
scale. Unpaired t-test was performed using PASW
(SPSS version 18.0) to compare happiness and mental
balance between yoga and non yoga practitioner. Yoga
practitioners showed higher levels of happiness
(p<0.001) and of mental balance (p<0.01) compared to
non yoga practitioners. Participants with yoga
experience had high level of happiness and mental
balance compare to non yoga practitioners. This could
happen because of yoga calms the mind of the
participants. This study stresses the importance of
objective comparing persons with yoga variables when
experience and those who are yoga naïve.

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OJMR 2016 | July - September 2016 | Volume 2 | Issue 3 | Pages 1-5 ISSN (Online): 2395-4892
Published online by Association for Indian Psychology, Rishikesh, India Quarterly, Peer-reviewed, Int. Journal
Gupta, Singh & Singh / Does yoga influence happiness and mental balance?
Background
Adolescence is a very critical and
important stage in the development of human
being. Most of the physiological, psychological,
and social changes take place during this
period of life. This stage can bring moments of
insecurity, helplessness, uselessness, isolation
and psychosomatic problems such as anxiety,
tensions, frustrations and emotional upsets in
day to day life (Gupta et al., 2014), emotional
instability, sadness, depression.
In a study, medical undergraduate students
showed that prevalence of anxiety was 66.9%
and stress was 53% (Iqbal, Gupta &
Venkatarao, 2015). Disposition of stress
affects natural expressions and ultimately
produces physical and emotional instability
and imbalance (Mishra, Maheshwari & Gupta,
2014).
In Webster’s dictionary, (1993), happiness is
defined as “good fortune” or “prosperity”.
According to Seligman, (2002), conditions of
happiness are (i) focusing on positive
emotions (contentment, happiness, hope), (ii)
character traits (love, courage, compassion,
curiosity, integrity, moderation, to mention a
few) and (iii) institutions (justice,
responsibility, parenting).
In Webster’s dictionary, (1993), mental
balance is defined as “the healthy
psychological state of someone with good
judgment”. In one of the fundamental
Buddhist premises that underlies mental
suffering such as anxiety, frustration, and
depression are considered to be symptoms of
an unbalanced mind (Gunaratana, 1985).
Imbalanced mind can be characterized by
dissatisfaction (Tsong-kha-pa, 2000). Mental
balance includes (i) a reality-based range of
desires, (ii) aspirations oriented toward one’s
own and others’ happiness, (iii) sustained and
voluntary attention, (iv) mindfulness, and (v)
a freedom from excessive emotional
vacillation, emotional apathy, and
inappropriate emotions (Wallace and Shapiro,
2006).
Yoga is often translated as “union” of mind,
body and spirit. Classically, yoga is
understood as the science of the mind. The
yogic experience is that which is gained by
controlling the modifications of the mind
(Satchidananda, 2005). Yoga has become a
transnational world practice (Hoyez, 2007).
Because many experience relaxation and ease
with the practice of yoga. Yoga is considered
as a mind-body exercise. The underlying
premise of mind-body exercises is that the
physiological state of the body may shape
emotions, thoughts and attitudes (Cowen and
Adams, 2005). In other hand, yoga (i)
improves symptoms associated with a
number of chronic health conditions, (ii)
decreases inflammation and improves
immune system function, (iii) affects mental
health, reducing depression and anxiety (Ross,
Friedmann, Bevans & Thomas, 2013), (iv)
improves reaction time (Telles, Yadav, Gupta
& Balkrishna, 2013), (v) mental health, and
(vi) joy or happiness (Malathi & Damodaran,
1999).
In a survey study 11 percent yoga
practitioners reported reason to practice yoga
were physical fitness, stress management, and
spiritual evolution (Gupta, Gupta & Singh,
2015). In another study, 50 medical students

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OJMR 2016 | July - September 2016 | Volume 2 | Issue 3 | Pages 1-5 ISSN (Online): 2395-4892
Published online by Association for Indian Psychology, Rishikesh, India Quarterly, Peer-reviewed, Int. Journal
showed an improvement in better sense of
wellbeing, feeling of relaxation, concentration,
self confidence, efficiency, good interpersonal
relationship, increased attentiveness, lowered
irritability levels, and an optimistic outlook in
life after 3 months (for an hour thrice a week)
(Malathi & Damodaran, 1999). In another
survey study 84.5 percent participants were
agreed that yoga improved their energy and
86.5 percent agreed for happiness (Ross et al.,
2013). In a study, 108 women showed an
improvement in mental balance after 8 weeks
of yoga (Cattha et al., 2008).
Above studies were done on non-Indian
students. The purpose of the present study
was to compare the level of happiness and
mental balance between yoga and non yoga
practitioners. It was hypothesized that
duration of yoga practice and experience of
practice would be found positively related
with happiness and mental balance.
Materials and Methods
Participants
In the present study, 200 participants with
ages ranging between 17 and 27 years (group
mean age ± S.D., 23.4 ± 2.7 years) were
participated. Out of them hundred
participants were experienced in yoga who
were practicing yoga daily for minimum one
year and another hundred were naïve to yoga
practice. They were studying in a north region
of India. The inclusion criteria were: (i)
normal health, and (ii) minimum 10 years of
education. The exclusion criteria were: (i)
incomplete or incorrectly filled in
questionnaires, and (ii) those who were using
stimulants or intoxicating substances. The
details of the questionnaires were described
to the participants.
Design
The study used a comparison cross-sectional
design. Participants were assessed in single
session.
Assessments
The following assessments were done using
following questionnaire.
Well-being manifestation measuring scale
(WBMMS)- For measuring psychological well-
being, WBMMS developed by Masse et al.
(1998b) was used. The scale consists of 25-
items with six factors. The six factors or
subscales of the WBMMS are (i) control self
and events, (ii) happiness, (iii) social
involvement, (iv) self esteem, (v) mental
balance, and (vi) sociability.
Data analyses
An unpaired t-test was performed using
PASW (SPSS version 18.0) to compare
happiness and mental balance between yoga
and non yoga practitioners.
Results
Yoga practitioners showed higher levels of
happiness (p<0.001) and mental balance
(p<0.01) compared to non yoga practitioners.
Table 1. Comparison between yoga and non yoga practitioner. Values are given in mean±SD
S.
No.
Variables
Yoga
practitioners
Non yoga
practitioners
Significance
(P-value)
1
Happiness
19.59±4.17
17.71±2.96
0.0005***
2
Mental balance
15.39±2.97
14.05±2.47
0.001**

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OJMR 2016 | July - September 2016 | Volume 2 | Issue 3 | Pages 1-5 ISSN (Online): 2395-4892
Published online by Association for Indian Psychology, Rishikesh, India Quarterly, Peer-reviewed, Int. Journal
Discussion
In the present study, participants who had
experience of yoga practice showed higher
level of happiness and mental balance.
Yoga enhances happiness because it is a way
of life which includes relaxation and a
balanced mental state and deals with the
physical, mental, moral and spiritual
wellbeing of an individual (Gupta et al., 2013).
Yoga tends to achieve inner peace, self-
reflection, or self-relaxation through the
quieting of the mind, develop the self to access
a deeper level of consciousness. In other hand
it (i) reduces psychological stress and
depression (Marlatt & Kriseller, 1999) and
negative emotions (Bedow & Murphy, 2004),
(ii) improves self-awareness, and emotion
regulation. , it seems suitable in dealing with
the type of issues faced by adolescents (Gupta,
Singh, Bhatt & Gupta, 2015; Gupta, Yadav &
Gautam, 2013).
Yoga enhances relaxation because of
increasing vagal stimulation, turning off the
Hypothalamic-Pituitary- Adrenal (HPA) axis
and the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)
and regulating activity of the parasympathetic
nervous (PNS) and gamma amino-butyric acid
(GABA) systems (McEwen, 2000).
Conclusion
Participants who had yoga experience have
high level of happiness and mental balance
compare to non yoga practitioners. This could
be happen because yoga calms the mind of the
participants, this study stresses the
importance of objective comparing persons
with yoga variables when experience and
those who are yoga naïve.
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How to cite this article:
Gupta, R.K., Singh, S., & Singh, N. (2016). Does yoga influence happiness and mental
balance: a comparison between yoga practitioners and non yoga practitioners?
Online Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2(3): 1-5.