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Examining the Acute Effects of Hatha Yoga and Mindfulness Meditation on Executive Function and Mood

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Kimberley Luu at University of Waterloo
Kimberley Luu
Peter A. Hall at University of Waterloo
Peter A. Hall
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Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the acute effects of hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation on executive function and mood. Using a within-subjects experimental design, 31 moderately experienced hatha yoga practitioners (mean age 27.71 ± 8.32) completed three counterbalanced sessions: hatha yoga (conscious movement and meditation), meditation (mindfulness of breath, emotions, thoughts, and body sensations), and a reading control task. Executive function was assessed using the Stroop task at baseline and at two follow-up points (5 and 10 min post-session). Self-reported mood was measured using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) at baseline and immediately following each session. Findings indicated that hatha yoga (p = .002) and meditation (p = .044) both resulted in significantly improved Stroop performance, though the two conditions did not differ significantly from each other (p = .728). The cognitive benefits in both cases were evident at the 10-min post-session delay but not at the 5-min post-session delay. With respect to mood outcomes, hatha yoga (p < .001) and meditation (p = .050) both resulted in significantly improved POMS total mood scores. Hatha yoga and meditation did not differ significantly from each other in regard to POMS total mood (p = .079), though hatha yoga showed significantly greater benefits on the vigor-activity subscale (p = .006). Overall, findings suggest that acute bouts of hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation benefit executive function and mood to a similar degree.
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Examining the Acute Effects of Hatha Yoga and Mindfulness
Meditation on Executive Function and Mood
Kimberley Luu
1
&Peter A. Hall
1,2
Published online: 26 December 2016
#Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016
Abstract The objective of this study was to compare the
acute effects of hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation on
executive function and mood. Using a within-subjects exper-
imental design, 31 moderately experienced hatha yoga practi-
tioners (mean age 27.71 ± 8.32) completed three
counterbalanced sessions: hatha yoga (conscious movement
and meditation), meditation (mindfulness of breath, emotions,
thoughts, and body sensations), and a reading control task.
Executive function was assessed using the Stroop task at base-
line and at two follow-up points (5 and 10 min post-session).
Self-reported mood was measured using the Profile of Mood
States (POMS) at baseline and immediately following each
session. Findings indicated that hatha yoga (p= .002) and
meditation (p= .044) both resulted in significantly improved
Stroop performance, though the two conditions did not differ
significantly from each other (p= .728). The cognitive bene-
fits in both cases were evident at the 10-min post-session delay
but not at the 5-min post-session delay. With respect to mood
outcomes, hatha yoga (p<.001)andmeditation(p=.050)
both resulted in significantly improved POMS total mood
scores. Hatha yoga and meditation did not differ significantly
from each other in regard to POMS total mood (p=.079),
though hatha yoga showed significantly greater benefits on
the vigor-activity subscale (p=.006).Overall,findingssug-
gest that acute bouts of hatha yoga and mindfulness medita-
tion benefit executive function and mood to a similar degree.
Keywords Yog a .Mindfulness meditation .Exercise .
Cognition .Executive function .Mood
Introduction
Yoga is an ancient Indian practice which traditionally aims to
cultivate mind-body awareness and higher states of conscious-
ness (Bryant 2009). Hatha yoga is the most common style of
yoga practiced in Western societies, and involves mindful
physical posturing, breathing exercises, and meditation
(Muktibodhananda 2012). A survey of a nationally represen-
tative sample estimated that approximately 21 million US cit-
izens practiced hatha yoga in 2012 (Cramer et al. 2016); this
represents a tripling of the number of hatha yoga practitioners
in a 15-year span (1998–2012; Saper et al. 2004). These sta-
tistics suggest that hatha yoga is becoming an increasingly
popular modality of exercise in North America.
Meditation is another common complementary practice
in Western societies (Clarke et al. 2015), and can be defined
as mental training which engages attentional and emotion-
regulation abilities through (self- or other-) guided focus on
specific objects, intentions, or internal and external envi-
ronments (Raffone and Srinivasan 2010;Tangetal.
2015). Mindfulness meditation specifically has been oper-
ationalized as the practice of non-judgemental observation
of present moment thoughts, emotions, and body sensations
with openness and acceptance (Bishop et al. 2004).
Mindfulness meditation can be practiced on its own or as
integrated with physical posturing, as is the case with hatha
yoga (Shelov et al. 2009).
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article
(doi:10.1007/s12671-016-0661-2) contains supplementary material,
which is available to authorized users.
*Kimberley Luu
kluu@uwaterloo.ca
1
School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo,
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
2
Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, BMH 1013, 200
University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
Mindfulness (2017) 8:873–880
DOI 10.1007/s12671-016-0661-2
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
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  • Feb 2015
Objective-This report presents national estimates of the use of complementary health approaches among adults in the United States across three time points. Trends in the use of selected complementary health approaches are compared for 2002, 2007, and 2012, and differences by selected demographic characteristics are also examined. Methods-Combined data from 88,962 adults aged 18 and over collected as part of the 2002, 2007, and 2012 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed for this report. Sample data were weighted to produce national estimates that are representative of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. adult population. Differences between percentages were evaluated using two-sided significance tests at the 0.05 level. Results-Although the use of individual approaches varied across the three time points, nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements remained the most popular complementary health approach used. The use of yoga, tai chi, and qi gong increased linearly across the three time points; among these three approaches, yoga accounted for approximately 80% of the prevalence. The use of any complementary health approach also differed by selected sociodemographic characteristics. The most notable observed differences in use were by age and Hispanic or Latino origin and race. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.
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Acute effects of walking, cycling, and yoga exercise on cognition in persons with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis without impaired cognitive processing speed
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Introduction: Cognitive impairment is a highly prevalent, disabling, and poorly managed consequence of multiple sclerosis (MS). Exercise training represents a promising approach for managing cognitive impairment in this population. However, there is limited evidence supporting an optimal exercise stimulus for improving cognition in MS. The current study compared the acute effects of moderate-intensity treadmill walking, moderate-intensity cycle ergometry, and guided yoga with those of quiet rest on executive control in 24 persons with relapsing-remitting MS without impaired cognitive processing speed using a within-subjects, repeated measures design. Method: Participants completed four experimental conditions that consisted of 20 minutes of moderate-intensity treadmill walking exercise, moderate-intensity cycle ergometer exercise, guided yoga, and quiet rest in a randomized, counterbalanced order. Participants underwent a modified-flanker task as a measure of executive control immediately prior to and following each condition. Results: Repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) indicated general pre-to-post improvements in reaction time, but not accuracy, on the modified-flanker task for all three exercise modalities compared with quiet rest. However, there were additional, selective pre-to-post reductions in the cost of interfering stimuli on reaction time on the modified-flanker task for treadmill walking, F(1, 23) = 4.67, p = .04, η(p)2 = .17, but not cycle ergometry, F(1, 23) = 0.12, p = .73, η(p)2 < .01, or guided yoga, F(1, 23) = 0.73, p = .40, η(p)2 = .03, compared with quiet rest. Conclusions: The present results support treadmill walking as the modality of exercise that might exert the largest beneficial effects on executive control in persons with relapsing-remitting MS without impaired cognitive processing speed. This represents an exciting starting point for delineating the appropriate exercise stimulus (i.e., modality and intensity) for inclusion in a subsequent longitudinal exercise training intervention for improving cognitive performance in this population.
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Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Chapter
  • Jan 2010
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive, multimodal cognitive-behavioral treatment developed for clients with complex and difficult-to-treat mental disorders. Originally developed to treat chronically suicidal clients, DBT evolved into a treatment for suicidal clients meeting criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD). Since its development, DBT has been adapted to treat other problem behaviors in clients with BPD (including substance abuse and eating disorders), suicidal adolescents with BPD features, suicidal behavior in elderly with major depressive disorder, and individuals with antisocial personality disorder in forensic settings. DBT combines basic change strategies drawn from cognitive-behavioral therapy with acceptance-based strategies from Eastern meditative (Zen) and Western contemplative practices. The fundamental dialectical tension in DBT is between an emphasis on validation and acceptance of the client with a persistent attention to behavioral change.
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Yoga, cognition and mental health
Article
  • Jul 2012
Regular practice of yoga is implicated in the healthy development of the body, mind, and spirit, leading to a more fulfilling life. The present investigation was designed to study the influence of regular practice of yoga on cognitive skills and mental health. 19 regular practitioners of yoga were matched with controls on age, gender and education level, and compared on outcome measures of Digit Symbol Test, PGI Memory Scale and Mental Health Questionnaire. An expost-facto design using t-test for two dependent means was adopted. Results indicated regular practitioners of yoga perform significantly better on tests of attention and concentration, remote memory, mental balance, delayed recall, immediate recall, verbal retention of dissimilar pairs, visual retention and recognition; and have better mental health. The results were discussed in the light of available research. The limitations of the study were also discussed.
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Prevalence, Patterns, and Predictors of Yoga Use: Results of a U.S. Nationally Representative Survey
Article
  • Oct 2015
Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence, patterns, and predictors of yoga use in the U.S. general population. Methods: Using cross-sectional data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey Family Core, Sample Adult Core, and Adult Complementary and Alternative Medicine questionnaires (N=34,525), weighted frequencies for lifetime and 12-month prevalence of yoga use and patterns of yoga practice were analyzed. Using logistic regression analyses, sociodemographic predictors of lifetime yoga use were analyzed. Analyses were conducted in 2015. Results: Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of yoga use were 13.2% and 8.9%, respectively. Compared with nonpractitioners, lifetime yoga practitioners were more likely female, younger, non-Hispanic white, college educated, higher earners, living in the West, and of better health status. Among those who had practiced in the past 12 months, 51.2% attended yoga classes, 89.9% used breathing exercises, and 54.9% used meditation. Yoga was practiced for general wellness or disease prevention (78.4%), to improve energy (66.1%), or to improve immune function (49.7%). Back pain (19.7%), stress (6.4%), and arthritis (6.4%) were the main specific health problems for which people practiced yoga. Conclusions: About 31 million U.S. adults have ever used yoga, and about 21 million practiced yoga in the past 12 months. Disease prevention and back pain relief were the most important health reasons for yoga practice. Yoga practice is associated with age, gender, ethnicity, SES, and health status.
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The Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali: A New Translation and Commentary
Article
  • Jan 1982
Preface to the American Edition Preface to the Original Edition Introduction Patanjali and the Exegetical Literature Some Philosophical Concepts of Kriya-Yoga Overview of Topics Discussed by Patanjali Annotated Translation Chapter One: Samadhi-Pada Chapter Two: Sadhana-Pada Chapter Three: Vibhuti-Pada Chapter Four: Kaivalya-Pada Continuous Translation Word Index to the Yoga-Sutra Bibliography Guide to the Pronunciation of Sanskrit Index About the Author
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