Abstract
Background
Yoga is an Eastern Indian Science and way of life, which includes the practice of certain moral and social values, postures, controlled breathing, and meditation which is believed to transform lower instinct of man to divine qualities.
Methods
In this stratified randomized control study 60 children satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. 30 consenting boys were in Yoga group and 30 were in Non Yoga (control group).
The data of the subjects in the two groups were analyzed to find out the effectiveness of regular sessions of combined yoga practice in improving memory.
The Yoga group experienced combined yoga practices comprising of Surya namaskara, Gayatri mantra chanting and Nadisuddhi Pranayama in scheduled and supervised sessions every day. The control group managed their normal routine activities. Wechsler Memory Scale and the percentage academic records of marks scored in school examinations was assessed before and after 25 days as Pre and Post assessments. Pre assessment data of the Yoga group and Non Yoga group (Control group) were checked for normal distribution by using Shapiro-Wilk test.The data shows a slight deviation from normality (Shapiro-Wilk test), so non-parametric testing was adopted. Pre-post comparisons of the 1st day and 25th day of the Yoga group and Non Yoga group (Control group) were done using Mann-Whitney test.The two groups show no significant difference in Pre assessment: (Mann-Whitney test).
There was a significant difference in the Post assessment (Mann-Whitney test). The mean of the yoga group is significantly greater than that of the Non Yoga (Control group).
The academic records of the participants of the Yoga group and Non Yoga group (Control group) was subject to t-test to analyze the significant change in the academic percentage of marks from Pre testing condition to Post testing condition.
Result
The findings are discussed with reference to the hypothesis Regular practice of Surya namaskara, Gayatri mantra chanting and Nadisuddhi Pranayama as a combined practice improves memory. This hypothesis was demonstrated by this grup of 30 boys who had a yoga rootine under supervision in the combination of Surya namaskara, Gayatri mantra chanting and Nadisuddhi Pranayama for a period of one month.
Concluson
The combined yoga practice was able to influence the participants in their performance on the memory test and also their academic records.
Key words
Combined Yoga Practices,
Memory,
Wechsler Memory Scale
|
