%0 Journal Article
%T Effects of Yoga Exercises on Heart Rate Variability Parameters and Perceived Stress in Adolescent Students with High Score in Perceived Stress
%A Simone Sancinelli
%J Open Journal of Medical Psychology
%P 158-169
%@ 2165-9389
%D 2022
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ojmp.2022.113012
%X <strong>Introduction:</strong> Hatha Yoga is a widely used form of holistic mind-body therapy for promoting health, and disease prevention like cardiovascular risks and part of treatment for neurological disorders. <strong>Objective:</strong> The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Hatha yoga on the autonomic nervous system by tracking acute changes in the time-domain and frequency-domain metrics of heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy International Baccalaureate students arranged in 3 different groups. <strong>Methods:</strong> The prospective interventional study was conducted among adolescent students in China. Thirty-six adolescent students were divided in three groups: 12 Hatha yoga experimental group participants; a control group of 12 students without participation in any activity and a recreational sport group of 12 other students. Outcomes measured were HRV parameters such as SDNN, RMSSD LF, HF, and LF/HF. Also, a Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 was used to measure stress and anxiety score in terms of Cognitive stress, Somatic Stress and Self Confidence. <strong>Results:</strong> Compared to baseline values, the Hatha yoga experiment group demonstrated a significant increase in HRV indices: SDNN 87.62 ¡À 13.89 (&gt;0.0001) and RMSDD 86.61 ¡À 7.78 (&gt;0.0001) respectively. In contrast it was documented after the 3 weeks of exposure to yoga training a statistically significant decrease in the frequency domain of LF 1911.53 ¡À 882.15 (0.0464) compared to baseline values. After completion of intervention the yoga experiment group HF (ms<sup>2</sup>) values were increased 3430.40 ¡À 858.38 (&gt;0.0001). Decrease and increase in the HF (ms<sup>2</sup>) in the control and Hatha yoga group were statistically significant after following Hatha yoga. Cognitive anxiety 18.08 ¡À 6.30 (&gt;0.0001) and Somatic anxiety 17.50 ¡À 6.33 (&gt;0.0001) decreased after intervention with yoga and self-confidence increased significantly 32.50 ¡À 1.17 (&gt;0.0001). <strong>Conclusions:</strong> The investigation showed a significant increase of HRV parameters and cardiac autonomic function as a result of exposure to Yoga practice. Also, there was significant evidence of decrease in cognitive stress and somatic stress; increased values of self-confidence at the end of three weeks yoga exposure in comparison to the baseline values.
%K Autonomic Nervous System
%K Heart Rate Variability
%K Yoga
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=118483