Nilkamal Singh & Shirley Telles.
Department of Yog Research and Development, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar, India.
naosekpamkamal@gmail.com

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Abstract

Background
Earlier studies have shown that yoga can play an effective role in improving both autonomic and psychological variables in both normal volunteers as well as in patients suffering from psychosomatic diseases, but its efficacy in the management of hypertension and type 2 diabetes by evaluating both autonomic and psychological variables has not yet been explored.
Design
Effect of seven days of yoga program was evaluated on 11 patients with hypertension (group mean age ± S.D., 54.5 ± 10.5 years) and 6 patients with type 2 diabetes (group mean age ± S.D., 49.8 ± 9.9 years). In this longitudinal study, heart rate variability (HRV) and state anxiety was assessed on the first day and last day of the camp. The pre and post data were compared with a t-test for paired data using SPSS version 10.0.
Results
There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in the mean R-R interval and a significant reduction (p<0.01) of state anxiety in patients with hypertension.
Conclusion
The results suggest special benefits of a seven day yoga program in hypertensives, with respect to autonomic variables and state anxiety.
Key words
Yoga
Hypertension
Diabetes State anxiety