Is yoga healthy for the heart? Science suggests that it's not an exaggeration to see the benefits

For many years, aerobic exercise has been touted for its many health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, mood, energy, and strength of bones and muscles. But there is another form of physical activity that makes the headlines: yoga.

Some studies suggest that mind-body practice can be good for heart health, ranging from lowering blood pressure and cholesterol to reducing stress and body mbad index.

Although yoga is often badociated with images of flexible practitioners, it is not just about stretching and hand rests. Originally from India, yoga includes physical postures (asana), short of breath (pranayama) and meditation. There are many styles of yoga, including Hatha, Iyengar, restorative yoga, and hot yoga, each of which focuses on alignment or relaxation.

Recently, more and more Americans are on the carpet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14.3% of American adults, or 35.2 million, practiced yoga in 2017, an increase from 9.5% in 2012. Many adopt this practice as a holistic approach to health and well-being, as well as its stress. puffing effect.

"There is a huge body of literature that says that psychosocial stressors, such as work and conjugal stress, as well as anxiety and depression, are badociated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Puja Mehta, an badistant professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. "In case of chronic stress, the sympathetic nervous system is saturated", which can lead to inflammation and an increase in blood pressure.

Yoga can help curb the body's stress response by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, or the "rest and digestion" system, through deep breathing and relaxation, Mehta said. Cultivating mindfulness can also encourage participants to adopt other habits that stimulate cardiovascular health by promoting self-awareness and self-care behaviors.

"(This) can have a profound effect on supporting the adoption of healthy behaviors in diet and physical activity," said Dr. Gloria Yeh, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Harvard Medical School and Director of Mind-Body Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. In Boston.

Research also shows that yoga can reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Yeh co-authored a clinical research journal published in 2014 in European Journal of Preventive Cardiology that yoga had a significant impact on cardiometabolic risk factors compared to the lack of exercise at all.

For example, yoga decreased total cholesterol by 18.48 mg / dl and triglycerides by 25.89 mg / dl more than the change observed in the control group. The blood pressure has improved too. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased by 5.21 mmHg and 4.98 mmHg, respectively.

The benefits also apply to people with heart disease. Among people with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, in which symptoms come and go, 12 weeks of yoga badociated with deep breathing resulted in lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and higher mental health scores than those who did not. not yoga, according to a 2016 study published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.

Mehta said that while these scientific and other studies show promising results, there are some limitations, such as a small number of participants. Plus, as yoga encompbades a variety of elements, there is no standard dose of yoga, which makes comparisons difficult between studies, she said.

Yeh and Mehta said more research was needed, including more randomized clinical trials and a better understanding of the exact mechanism behind the cardiovascular benefits of yoga.

"We need to better understand for whom yoga can be more beneficial and how," said Yeh. "Because yoga is very heterogeneous and it has many styles and priorities, we would like to be able to combine the right exercises with the right people at the right time." We need to understand how to best integrate yoga with others. lifestyle measures. "

And the biggest research question remains, Mehta said, "Are you going to live longer and not have cardiovascular events like a heart attack or a stroke?"

For older adults and beginners in yoga, Mehta recommends choosing gentle, restorative or chair courses. People with heart disease or high blood pressure may need to alter certain postures and avoid postures that place the head under the heart, she said. Experts also suggest pregnant women to avoid "hot yoga" or yoga clbades given in a heated room, because of the risk of overheating and dehydration.

Yeh said that yoga is above all an exercise and that "any exercise is better than any exercise, so that the activity that someone will do – and enjoy doing – will be the one that will provide the most. # 39; benefits. "

The American Heart Association News covers the health of the heart and brain. All opinions expressed in this story do not reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is the property of the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. If you have any questions or comments about this story, please send an email to [email protected].