The purpose of this study is to determine whether inversions (specific yoga postures in which the heart is higher than the head) and other dynamic and static yoga postures affect heart rate variability, oxygen uptake, blood pressure, blood parameters and other objective measures of health, and a variety of subjective and objective measures of health in female and male individuals in Sweden.
This randomized, controlled trial involving 44 male and females in Sweden will investigate whether yoga inversions and semi-inversions and other dynamic and static yoga postures will affect the following variables: heart rate variability, oxygen uptake, anthropometric variables, common symptoms in general practice, sleepiness, sleep quality and recovery/recuperation after sleep, blood pressure, blood lipids, blood proteins, blood sugar, salivary cortisol, hand grip strength, relaxation and recovery perceived stress, self-rated health, rating of perceived exertion, satisfaction with life, and work-family conflict. Participants will be divided into an intervention group and a passive control group. The intervention group will participate in six to ten weeks of yoga classes. The classes will be held 1-2 times a week for approximately one hour each and will include yoga poses and breathing techniques. The control group will not participate in any intervention but will conduct their lives as usual. The variables will be assessed at baseline; at the end of the intervention; and three, six, and twelve months after the end of the intervention.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
44
6 weeks of yoga postures, once a week for 60 minutes in a group session with a yoga teacher.
Karolinska Institute
Stockholm, Sweden
Change in heart rate variability
We will measure the change in this variable over time. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in oxygen uptake
We will measure the change in this variable over time. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8 week intervention
Change in anthropometric variables
Anthropometric variables include height, weight, waist-to-hip ratio, and body mass index(BMI). We will measure the change in these variables over time. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in common symptoms in general practice
We will use the Common Symptoms in General Practice Index to measure how often over the past four weeks participants have experienced the fifteen most common health-related symptoms and complaints. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
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Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in level of sleepiness and measures of recovery or recuperation after sleep
The Karolinska Sleepiness Scale will be used to measure this outcome variable. This scale measures degree of wakefulness at bedtime and after waking in the morning. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in blood pressure
We will measure the change in this variable over time. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects at the end of the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in hand grip strength
We will measure the change in this variable over time. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in measures of relaxation and recovery
We will measure the change in these variables over time. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in perceived stress
The Perceived Stress Scale will be used to measure this variable. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in self-rated health
We will measure the change in this variable over time. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in rating of perceived exertion
We will measure the change in this variable over time. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in satisfaction with life
This variable will be measured with the Satisfaction With Life Scale. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in level of work-family conflict
This variable will be measured with the Work-Family Conflict Scale. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in HbA1C
We will measure the change in this variable over time. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention
Change in Apolipoproteins
We will measure the change in this variable over time. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and after the 8-week intervention
Change in Adiponectin/Leptin ratio
We will measure the change in this variable over time. The first measurement will be at baseline and the second at the end of the 8-week intervention (main measurement). If and only if there are effects after the 8-week intervention, we will follow up the participants at various intervals to determine how long the effects are sustained. These follow-ups will be conducted 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the end of the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention