Did You Know...
Bones Love Yoga!
Emerging research over the past two decades is supporting the wisdom of yoga beyond the mind. Several studies now demonstrate how certain poses will signal our bodies natural response to tension by biologically fortifying the strength of our bones. After age 30, our bones gradually lose density. Working with me, we can make sure your body maintains strength, reducing the risk of fractures and stalling the onset of osteoporosis during menopause.
Yoga for Osteoporosis: A Pilot Study
Context: More than 200 000 000 people suffer from osteoporosis or osteopenia worldwide. An innocuous and inexpensive treatment would be welcome.
Study design: Serial controlled repeated measure.
Patients: Eighteen serial patients with osteoporosis or osteopenia, average age 68 years.
Methods: Qualifying blood and urine tests and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan preceding 10-minute daily yoga. DEXA scan repeated after 2 years.
Outcome Measurement: Comparison of pre- and postyoga DEXA scans, injuries.
Results: Yoga practitioners gained 0.76 and 0.94 points for spine and hips, respectively, on the T-scale when compared with controls ( P = .01). Five patients with osteopenia were reclassified as normal; 2 patients with osteoporosis are now osteopenic. There were no injuries.
Conclusion: Yoga appears to be an effective way to build bone mineral density after menopause.
Effects of Yogasanas on Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women - 2016
Yoga can stimulate the bones to retain calcium, provided the body gets enough calcium in the first place. It does this through weight bearing poses of yogasanas that affect the spine, arms, shoulders, elbows, legs while encouraging a full range of motion. Weight bearing yoga training has shown a positive effect on the bone by reducing the bone resorption and hence preventing the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. It also has a positive effect on improving the quality of life and balance.
Study proves that yoga enhances muscular strength and body flexibility. It is one of the few exercise systems in which weight is borne through the arms and upper body, causing bones to become thicker and stronger. Recent research has proved that yoga can alleviate some of the height loss associated with osteoporosis. Yoga can be used as alternative therapy to exercises.
Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss
Objective: Assess the effectiveness of selected yoga postures in raising bone mineral density (BMD).
Methods: Ten-year study of 741 Internet-recruited volunteers comparing preyoga BMD changes with postyoga BMD changes.
Outcome Measures: Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometric scans. Optional radiographs of hips and spine and bone quality study (7 Tesla).
Results: Bone mineral density improved in spine, hips, and femur of the 227 moderately and fully compliant patients. Monthly gain in BMD was significant in spine (0.0029 g/cm 2 , P = .005) and femur (0.00022 g/cm 2 , P = .053), but in 1 cohort, although mean gain in hip BMD was 50%, large individual differences raised the confidence interval and the gain was not significant for total hip (0.000357 g/cm 2 ). No yoga-related serious injuries were imaged or reported. Bone quality appeared qualitatively improved in yoga practitioners.
Conclusion: Yoga appears to raise BMD in the spine and the femur safely.
The Associations Between Seven Different Types of Physical Activity and the Incidence of Fracture at Seven Sites in Healthy Postmenopausal UK Women
There is a paucity of information on associations between specific types of physical activity and fracture risk at different sites in otherwise healthy postmenopausal women. Therefore, we examined risk of fracture at seven different sites associated with seven different types of physical activity in the population‐based prospective UK Million Women Study. A total of 371,279 postmenopausal women (mean age 59.8 years), rating their health as good or excellent and reporting participation in walking, cycling, gardening, doing housework, yoga, dance, and sports club activities, were followed for site‐specific incident fracture through record linkage to national databases on day‐case and overnight hospital admissions.
Taking part in yoga was associated with a reduction in risk of lower limb fracture of 14% (RR = 0.86; 99% CI, 0.77 to 0.95; p = 0.0001) and of hip fracture by 16% (RR = 0.84; 99% CI, 0.72 to 0.98, p = 0.003). Participating in yoga was associated with a halving in the risk of femur (not hip) fracture (RR = 0.53; 99% CI, 0.32 to 0.90; p = 0.001); however, the CI was wide.
Although the lack of a measure of bone mineral density may be considered a limitation, the use of clinical fracture outcomes, rather than an intermediate measure (such as bone mineral density) is a strength.
Senior Yoga: In and Out of Chairs
This article describes an experimental yoga program designed in the fall of 2008 for senior citizens to improve their physical, mental, emotional, and social needs. The twice-weekly 90-minute classes use chairs and other props. Many of the seniors attending have health issues that come with aging, including osteoporosis, cancer, knee pain, hip replacement surgery, high blood pressure, heart disease, back pain, pinched nerves, limited shoulder mobility, diabetes, neuropathy, stress, and depression. A typical class of 15 to 18 students draws from a base group of 70 participants between 59 and 92 years of age. The class is 97% women. The results from the first 18 months of this program have shown significant improvements in posture and balance, along with enhanced physical, mental, and emotional health.
A body of evidence is being amassed that shows increased bone density, weight loss, lowered blood pressure, increased stature, greater range of motion, and less depression.
Yoga: A Bedtime Story
Yoga just might be your new favorite sleep time thing – next to that super soft, chenille throw with matching pillows in that dusty rose color we see everywhere after fashion week. The pairing of super relaxing somatic positions with breath work, topped off with a guided meditation will keep those cortisol levels in check. And bitesize restorative yoga fits nicely into your beddy-bye routine – just drop in either before or after brushing your teeth.
THE EFFECT OF CHRONIC YOGA INTERVENTIONS ON SLEEP QUALITY IN PEOPLE WITH SLEEP DISORDERS
Abstract
Background
Poor or insufficient sleep adversely affects various physiological and psychological functions, impacting body systems such as the endocrine, metabolic, and immune systems.
Objectives
Despite available pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, the impact of chronic yoga interventions on sleep quality in individuals with sleep problem syndrome remains underexplored. This scoping review aims to consolidate existing research on yoga interventions and their effects on sleep quality, providing evidence for yoga as a non-pharmacological alternative to reduce reliance on medications.
Methods
A systematic search across PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus identified 1,559 studies, with 57 meeting inclusion criteria for yoga’s effects on sleep quality.
Results
Overall, the included studies reported either significant improvements in sleep quality (or related) parameters or no change.
Moderator analyses revealed that intervention duration and session frequency can influence sleep outcomes.
Short-duration interventions (≤6 weeks) showed a large mean effect on sleep quality (9.41%; 95% CI 3.06 to 15.42%), with 54% of studies reporting statistically significant improvements.
Medium-duration interventions (7–16 weeks) demonstrated consistent benefits, including a large mean effect on sleep quality (8.74%; 95% CI 2.93 to 14.55%) and a very large reduction in insomnia severity (13.19%; 95% CI 11.10 to 15.98%). However, sleep efficiency exhibited smaller effects (0.73%; 95% CI −1.99 to 3.45%).
Long-duration interventions (≥17 weeks) produced the most robust results, with 100% of the studies reporting significant improvements, including a 7.92% increase in sleep quality (95% CI 3.23 to 12.60%).
Session Frequency
Low-frequency sessions (1–2 per week) yielded significant improvements in insomnia severity (13.66%; 95% CI 8.72 to 18.59%) and sleep quality (8.13%; 95% CI 2.67 to 13.59%).
Moderate-frequency sessions (3–4 per week) balanced accessibility and efficacy, producing a large mean effect on sleep quality (9.21%; 95% CI 3.66 to 14.76%).
High-frequency sessions (≥5 per week) demonstrated a similarly large effect on sleep quality (8.24%; 95% CI 2.28 to 14.20%), although the data were limited.
Conclusion
Tailoring yoga interventions by duration and frequency is valuable, with chronic practice offering a safe, effective alternative to medication. Future research should refine protocols for specific populations and sleep challenges.
Yoga for Cortisol Levels
Spoiler Alert! Meditation offers a bonanza of health benefits, encompassing both mental and physical well-being – and including both structural and functional changes to certain brain regions. Whaaaaaaat?!!
MEDITATION & MINDFULNESS: WELCOME TO YOUR NEXT RABBIT HOLE
Below are a few ‘cut to the chase’ findings that just scratch the surface with a rapid-fire round of links. It might be enough to convince you to give it another go, because who doesn’t want to feel like a calm, collected yoga guru who can just sip kombucha and ignore ‘said perceived’ problems?
Stress Reduction:
Meditation is like hitting the ‘pause’ button on life, so you can stop freaking out about your boss, your kids and your Wi-Fi – in that order and before the automatic brew cycle on your coffee maker even starts. Think of the benefits of meditation as giving your brain a three day weekend – that extra day off really takes off the edge.
And don’t forget about our deep dive into Cortisol starting those dumpster fires in your body from the Practice Blog.
LINKS: Mayo Clinic, American Psychological Association, NCCIH
Anxiety Control:
Anxiety comes in all shapes and sizes and meditation is a one size fits all solution that can really help chip away at it – with practice, over time. Remember, anxiety is generated by patterns and habits of thinking, so meditation requires the same habit of unthinking or retraining your system with new brain activity. Make it a hearty meal plan alongside servings of exercise or breath work or talk therapy, and you’re good as gold!
LINKS: Healthline, NCIHH, Harvard Health, Frontiers in Psychology
Enhanced Emotional Health:
We all have those ‘less-desirable’ emotions, if you know what I mean. Meditation helps you to ‘uninvite’ those undesirables so that they never show up in the first place. Flexing that awareness muscle into your breath frequently will train your brain to work with your nervous system like a trained monkey.
You’ll find it’s like having a personal drama detection implant with a Zen setting, guiding you through life’s potholes and subsequent coffee spills with greater ease.
LINKS: Healthline, NCCIH, Frontiers in Neuroscience, PubMed
Increased Self-Awareness:
If you ever wonder, “Who am I? What am I doing with my life? Why am I eating a sandwich at 2AM?”—then meditation is your new personal assistant. It’ll help you stay on top of your inner appointments and clear out the fog for a distraction-free, collaborative meeting between your mind and your soul [a.k.a. heart, spirit].
Think of it as a therapy session without the bill. Okay, so therapy is good too… A meditation practice may at least help turn down the excess chatter in your mind so you can discern whether to go to yoga therapy or some other type of therapy.
LINKS: Healthline, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink
Improved Attention and Memory
Raise your hand if you lose your keys on a regular basis, spend hours on the same sentence in that weekly project update report, or forget why you walked into the kitchen.
Wait, why is everyone raising their hands again…? Oh, right. Meditation is just a set of push-ups for your brain workout, because the whole point of meditation is, well, practicing focus. Minding your gray matter matters on a regular basis!
LINKS: UC Davis Health, Mount Sinai Health System, PubMed, The Atlantic, Neuroscience News
Improved Sleep:
You ever stare at the ceiling at 3 AM, your brain going a thousand miles an hour? Meditation practices, most notably mindfulness and breathwork, help you turn off the chaotic hamster wheel of your mind. And then—BOOM—you actually fall asleep. Bye-bye insomnia.
Sticking to a mindfulness practice in the morning or during your daytime too is like a series of dog biscuits for your brain. Flexing that awareness muscle frequently will train your brain to work with your nervous system like a trained monkey. It helps you actually sleep like a baby, and without the zoo animal mobile. This research is on par with the effects of exercise and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). The more consistently you practice, the more consistently you sleep.
LINKS: Harvard Health, ScienceDirect, AASM, JAMA Network
Supports Heart Health:
Yes, even you, Gen Z! Look up any statistic on leading causes of death and you’ll find heart disease and stroke take top honors within the top five. Chronic stress, generated in the mind as we know here, affects your blood pressure, and keeping it low (outside of any exercise spurts) goes a long way in keeping you in the better half of those statistics on heart disease and death.
Heart health is better managed through chronic stress reduction in your 20’s and 30s, than in a reactive state in your 60s. Meditation is a really handy start before you reach the brink of decoding which of your cholesterol numbers are moving in the right direction.
Keeping your heart healthy has a bit of Yin Yang strategy to it: on the one hand, lower blood pressure by lowering chronic stress is important for consistent health; while elevating your heart rate with exercise will roto-rooter your circulatory system with blood acting as a sort of natural ‘Drano’ keeping your arteries squeaky clean of plaque build-up. There goes yoga again, reminding us of the nature of balance everywhere.
So back to meditation and the beauty of this non-age-discriminatory workout – it’s portable, it doesn’t require any equipment or gym fees, it doesn’t even take a ton of time for a practice. Meditation and yoga act like two bodyguards sitting on your ticker, and turning away a whole myriad of shady, stress-inducing characters trying to get through those velvet ropes.
It’s not a one size fits all solution for everyone, your doctor will help discern its role — and so will some of this research here.
LINKS: Mayo Clinic John Hopkins Medicine, European Society of Cardiology, Harvard Health, American Heart AssociationJournals, BioMed Central, VA Research
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