Don t Stress; It s Yoga! was unusual for me decline a friend of mine who called me to meet, because she was only a

Transcription

1 Stephanie Daum English 121 Paper #5: Position Mrs. Jodie Hollander Don t Stress; It s Yoga! At 9:30 pm on a Friday evening, I was ready to sleep peacefully. Not long before this moment I began the physical practice of yoga, and on that particular evening had practiced yoga. Yet, it was unusual for me decline a friend of mine who called me to meet, because she was only a block way from where I lived. I remember distinctly feeling completely at peace and restful which was unusual for me. There have been many studies done to research the effects of yoga to assist people with medical conditions but there is still positive benefits for people even if there is no medical problems to address. Additionally, most people realize or correlate a yoga practice with relaxation but did you ever think it could help your brain function for improrved learning? A study done in 2016, by six mental health researchers in India, Naveen, Varambally, Thirthall, Rao, Christopher, and Gangadhar wrote yoga may facilitate neuroplasticity through stress reduction in depressed patients in an article, titled, Serum Cortisol and BDNF in patients with major depression - effect of yoga (273). In this paper, I am looking specifically at a physical yoga practice, asana, and the effect it has on the body s nervous system and response to stress as well as a study done which looks at BDNF, brain derived neurotrophic factor. BDNF is labeled as a marker for neuroplasticity (Naveen, G.H., et al. 273). Neuroplasticity is the ability for the brain to develop new neural pathways. There has been controversy, previously, whether or not the brain is capable of actually rewiring, but recent studies have shown it is possible for people to develop new neural pathways. It reviews some of the studies done to identify stress in the body

2 Daum -!2 physiologically with the results. Additionally, it summarizes how the nervous system works to produce or not produce different hormones that are used as biomarkers for stress as there appears to be a link in the brain s ability to change or learn with a reduction in stress. Yoga, asana, or the physical practice of yoga balances the nervous system. In the article, Medical Yoga Therapy, written by Ina Stephens, she explains the nervous system through, autonomic, parasympathetic, and sympathetic. Stephens, a Pediatrician at the Univeristy of Virginia Health System, states that stress activates the sympathetic nervous system which then produces and releases cortisol. What? Ok, stress increases levels of cortisol in our bodies. Furthermore, it is suggested that high levels of cortisol can be toxic to humans to the point of, accelerated aging, cognitive inhibition, impaired memory and the ability to learn, increased anxiety and fear, as well as depression and anhedonia (Stephens). In contrast, a consistent practice of yoga over a period of time is said to reduce stress and levels of cortisol by balancing the autonomic nervous system with increased parasympathetic and reduced sympathetic activities (Stephens). In conclusion, a consistent yoga practice over time, can reduce stress in the body by working with the nervous system and reducing cortisol levels. When the body is in a state of relaxation, our ability to do new things and learn is improved. What about neuroplasticity? Neuroplasticity, being the ability for the brain to develop new functions, has also been measured in different studies through a biomarker referred to as BDNF, brain derived neurotrophic factor. Even though the study was not specifically looking to find if

3 Daum -!3 learning capability is improved, the marker was still measured in depressed patients. This program reported that a yoga intervention decreased cortisol, reduced stress and increased BDNF serum (Naveen, G.H., et al. 275). How does yoga reduce stress? Stress can be measured by cortisol levels and several studies have been done to measure the effect of yoga on cortisol levels. A study done in 2013 revealed that people who were utilizing yoga for treatment had reductions in cortisol (Naveen 275). A different program completed in 2015, written about in Medical Yoga Therapy, with college students, using the physical practice of yoga, students had experienced a reduction in stress upon responses in a survey. The survey completed states, students felt or experienced after the 14 day trial, physical relaxation, mental calmness, feeling at ease and peace, being more well-rested and refreshed, improved strength, awareness and joy (Stephens). Last, a different biomarker for stress used in another study written and performed by, Diava Daukantaite, Una Tellhed, Rachel E. Maddux, Thomas Svensson, and Olle Melander, in Five-week yin yoga-based interventions decreased plasma adrenomedullin and increased psychological health in stressed adults: A randomized controlled tiral, to review stress and treatment with yoga, adrenomedullin, was measured and the study revealed the adrenomedullin was higher previous to the yoga intervention (9). Higher adrenomedullin levels are also connected to someone who experiences problems with anxiety (Daukantaite, Daiva, et al. 10). These are examples of three studies done to understand how a yoga practice over a short period of time is able to both physically and psychologically reduce stress. Both the cortisol and adrenomedullin are physiologically

4 Daum -!4 indicating that a yoga practice reduces these hormones, creating relaxation in the body while a different group had expressed a positive psychological experience with a post trial survey. My own personal practice of Hatha yoga lead me to experience deeper inner awareness and begin to change the way I approached almost everything. I became more aware of foods that did not give me the nutrition I needed, and I began to eat healthier. It was remarkable how I came to realize or prefer to eat vegetables instead of eating an abundance of meat and cheese. Additionally, I chose to start cleaning differently, there was nothing I read or remember hearing why I needed to do this but I found myself creating my own cleaning products because it simply felt better to me. While I was not monitoring my phsyical condition with blood testing and medical labs, it was clear to me, I was more relaxed and the more relaxed I felt, the greater self awareness I experienced which led me to be aware of what I truly wanted to do instead of what I may have always done previously. Exercise reduces stress levels, why not just exercise? Exercise can be great to reduce stress but also a very repetitive motion on the body which can aggravate the body then creating more stress. It is helpful to raise the heart rate and there are many activites such as swimming, running, and biking that all do a great job but over time these activities still can wear on the body. Additionally, yoga is thought to be a better practice for balancing the parasympathetic nervous system with it s mindful and slower bodily movements in comparison to other forms of exercise (Stephens).

5 Daum -!5 Some say yoga is a religion, and is dangerous to practice. I have been warned to be cautious of yoga by priests and some say since it s origin is in India, that it is actually Hinduism, but it is even quoted in Autobiography of a Yogi, written by Paramahansa Yogananda from India, a Jew should pray as a jew, a Christian as a Christian, and a Muslim as Muslim. There are typically, identified, eight rungs of yoga, (1) yamas (social ethics), (2) niyamas (personal ethics), (3) asana (physical practice), (4) pranayama (breathing), (5) pratyahara (sensory withdrawl) (6) dharana (concentration), (7) dhyana (meditation), and (8) samadhi (divine connection). In the yamas, the first principle is ahimsa, which simply means non-harming/violence; no danger. Next, there is a reference in the niyamas to a concept phrased, ishvara pranidhana, this is a devotion to a loving god. Again, love; no harm; no danger. In most of the studies, asana or the physical practice is utilized mostly, however, there is reference, to pranayama (breathing), and, dhyana (meditation). In each of the breathing and meditation activities the physical practice is used for preparing for both types of breathing and meditation. There could be more studies done to validate these findings. In the trials reviewed there is consistency with a steady practice of three months of yoga. It would be interesting to look at baseline cortisol levels, and brain neurotrophic factor before yoga practice of one hundred people with higher cortisol levels along with the brain neurotrophic factor and then a consistent three month yoga practice with a follow up of measuring these biomarkers. However, in addition to the yoga practice identifying positive changes that occured during the three month period and what are the plans or hopes for the participants in the study moving forward could be beneficial. Yet, in order to assess the reliability of the results it would be helpful to perform thirty different

6 Daum -!6 studies. So, thirty different groups of 100 people with higher consistent cortisol levels previous to the yoga treatment and the effects it would have on these groups. Even then, it would have to be a similar yoga teaching style with similar postures and sequences. Stephens states in her article there needs to be standardized methodologies and greater sample sizes with a longer term reporting period (Stephens). In the studies completed and reviewed there were several biomarkers used, cortisol, BDNF, and adrenomedullin as a way to identifiy how a steady practice of asana can reduce cortisol and adrenomedullin as well as improve our BDNF levels. Since BDNF is a neuroplasticity factor, which improves our learning, a practice of yoga not only reduces stress but improves our ability to learn. It is important to recognize that yoga is not the only way to reduce stress but that stress does cause problems for us with an elevated level of cortisol. This happens when our sympathetic nervous system is activated and becomes worse if activated too often. Moreover, our ability to function and learn is impaired or diminished when we are dealing with or experiencing stressful moments and times. Yoga has been found as a great way to activate our parasympathetic nervous system; reducing cortisol levels which then creates ease for learning and doing new activities.

7 Daum -!7 Works Cited Daukantaite, Daiva, et al. Five-week yin yoga-based interventions decreased plasma adrenomedullin increased psychological health in stressed adults: A randomized controlled trial. PLOS One, 2018 doi: /journal.pone Naveen, G.H., et al. Serum Cortisol and BDNF in Patients wih Major Depression - Effect of Yoga International Review of Psychiatry, vol. 28, no. 3, pp , Stephens, Ina. Medical Yoga Therapy. Edited by Hilary McClafferty Children from Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2017 doi: /children

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