Yoga for Stress Management in Healthy Adults Jenna M. March State University of New York Institute of Technology

Clinical Problem Stress is a universal problem that has damaging effects on mental, physical, and psychological health (Chong et al., 2011) Almost 80% of all health ailments have some link to stress, including coronary heart disease, cancer, migraine headaches, hypertension, acne, and insomnia (Chong et al., 2011).

Intervention Yoga is a general term that encompasses controlled breathing, physical postures, strengthening exercises, and meditation (Li & Goldsmith, 2012). Yoga offers one possible modality of reducing stress.

PICO Statement Objective In healthy adults ages 18 to 65 (Population), how does yoga (Intervention) compared to no intervention (Comparison) affect stress management (Outcome). Objective The purpose of this study is to review and critically appraise the current literature available on the effectiveness of yoga for reducing stress in healthy adults, ages 18 to 65.

Method An integrative review of the literature involving yoga interventions for managing stress was conducted. MEDLINE and CINAHL database searches were conducted using the terms yoga, meditation, stress, and anxiety. 10 articles were found: 3 systematic literature reviews, 2 exploratory studies, 4 randomized controlled trials, and 1 randomized comparative study. The articles were organized, reviewed, and critically appraised.

Research Findings “The yoga group reported marked improvements in feelings of clear-mindedness, composure, elation, energy, and confidence” (Hartfiel et al., 2011). “Yoga postures or meditation performed in the office can acutely improve several physiological and psychological markers of stress” (Melville et al., 2011). Yoga significantly lowered the participants degree of anxiety, depression and stress, and also increased their degree of optimism (Kjellgren et al., 2007). The “review revealed positive effects of yoga in reducing stress levels or stress symptoms” (Chong et al., 2011).

Research Findings The review revealed positive psychological and physiological outcomes related to stress reduction when a yoga regimen was implemented.

Evaluation Several limitations were found in the studies including: small sample size, short study duration, lack of a control group, and risk for bias. Despite these limitations, yoga could be a promising modality for stress management.

Recommendations for Implementation Educate healthy adults on the stress management benefits of yoga Encourage future research in this area of study.

Conclusion Further research should be conducted to combat limitations in previous studies, ascertain yoga’s long term effects, and indentify underlying biological mechanisms leading to stress reduction.

References Chong, C., Tsunaka, M., Tsang, H., Chan, E., & Cheung, W. (2011). Effects of yoga on stress management in healthy adults: A systematic review. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 17(1), 32-38. Hartfiel, N., Havenhand, J., Khalsa, S., Clarke, G., & Krayer, A. (2011). The effectiveness of yoga for the improvement of well-being and resilience to stress in the workplace. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment, and Health, 37(1), 70-76. Kjellgren, A., Bood, S., Axelsson, K., Norlander, T., & Saatcioglu, F. (2007). Wellness through a comprehensive yogic breathing program: A controlled pilot trial (43), 1-8. doi:10.1186/1472-68. BioMed Central Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 782-7-43 Li, A., & Goldsmith, C. (2012). The effects of yoga on anxiety and stress. Alternative Medicine Review, 17(1), 21-35. Melville, G., Chang, D., Colagiuri, B., Marshall, P., Cheema, B. (2012). Fifteen minutes of chair-based yoga postures or guided meditation performed in the office can elicit a relaxation response. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 1-9. doi:10.1155/2012/501986