EFFECT OF YOGIC PRACTICES ONPHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES AMONG HYPERTENSIVE MIDDLE AGED STRESSED WOMEN                                                                           

*K.Ratnasabathy, **Dr. R. Elangovan, *Ph.D Scholar, Faculty of Yoga Sciences and Therapy, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research (Deemed to be University), No.12, Vembuliamman Koil Street, West K.K.Nagar, Chennai-78, Tamil Nadu, India. E- Mail ID: saba_yoga@hotmail.com, **Professor & Head, Faculty of Yoga Sciences and Therapy, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research (Deemed to be University), No.12, Vembuliamman Koil Street, West K.K.Nagar, Chennai-78, Tamil Nadu, India.  E-Mail ID: relangovantnpesu@gmail.com.

 

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the random group experimental study was to find out the effect of yogic practices on Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure among Hypertensive middle aged stressed women. For the purpose of the study, 30 middle aged stressed women were selected randomly using random sampling method from Chennai between the age group of 35 and 45 years and they were divided into two groups I, and II with 15 subjects each. It was hypothesized that there would be significant differences among middle aged stressed women on selected physiological variables such as Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure than the control group. Preliminary test was conducted for two Groups on Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure before the start of the training program. Group I subjects were given Yogic practices for 60 minutes, 6 days a week  for a total period of 12 weeks. Group II (Control Group) was in active rest. After the experimental period, the two groups were retested again on the same selected dependent variables. Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA) was used to find out the significant differences between the experimental group and the control group. The test of significance was fixed at 0.05 level of confidence. The results of the study proved that the Experimental Group showed significant differences on selected physiological variables such as Systolic (decreased) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (decreased) than the Control Group due to Yogic practices among middle aged stressed women. The hypothesis was accepted at 0.05 level of confidence. Hence it is concluded that Yogic practices are beneficial to the middle aged stressed women to maintain healthy Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure.

Key words:Yogic Practises, Systolic Blood pressure, Diastolic Blood pressure

 

INTRODUCTION

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls gets to be so high. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high blood pressure, however, is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, vision loss, and chronic kidney disease. Hypertension becomes more common with age, affecting middle-aged women especially.  Most people with hypertension do not show signs or symptoms.  Occasionally, people with early-stage hypertension get dull headaches or dizzy spells. In many cases, there is no discernible cause of hypertension, but rather, it develops over the years.  Hypertensive women were facing many challenges and obstacles in life.  Frequently reported symptoms fall into numerous categories, including physiological turbulences such as severe headache, fatigue or confusion, vision problems, chest pain, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, blood in the urine, pounding in chest, neck or ears and many other impacts that may weaken their personal, social connections and reduce the overall quality of life.

In 2007, CVD caused about one death per minute among men in the United States; more women’s lives than were claimed by cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and accidents combined [Roger et al.2011]. Acknowledging those facts might reduce hypertension related morbidity and mortality in Women. Yoga can be a very beneficial therapy for controlling and lowering high blood pressure naturally.  The gentle, soothing practice of yoga settles both mind and body and reduces stress, which is a leading cause of hypertension.  Yoga can help to switch on the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and repair, and turn off the sympathetic nervous system, used for the fight-or-flight stress response.  Increased parasympathetic activity has a beneficial effect on many systems in the body, and allows the nervous system to become more balanced.  This is one way in which practicing yoga for high BP can help free up the body’s inherent healing response to reduce blood pressure naturally. Yoga is a science and art of pure lifestyle.  Yoga helps the women to evoke the hidden potentialities to solve her problems.  Yoga not only upkeeps the body and mind, but it is also a science a health.  It acts as a both preventive and curative aspect through asana, pranayama, meditation, mudras and kriyas etc.  Yoga plays a significant role in enhancing one’s mental health.

 

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

            The objective of the study was to find out whether there would be any significant difference on selected cardio Physiological variables among middle aged stressed women

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The purpose of the study was to find out the effect of yogic practices on selected Physiological variables among Hypertensive middle aged stressed women.

HYPOTHESIS

 It was hypothesized that there would be significant differences due to yogic practices on selected Physiological variables among middle aged stressedwomen than the control group.

DELIMITATIONS

• The study was delimited to the middle aged stressed women from Thiruvallur district only
• Age of subjects was ranged from 35 to 45 years only.
• The dependent variables were restricted to systolic and diastolic blood pressure only.
• The study was confined to yogic practices as Independent variable only.

LIMITATIONS

• The Factors like Socio-Economical status were not taken into consideration.
• The climatic conditions were not considered.
• Factors like Life style habits were not taken into consideration.
• Subjects’day to day activities were not taken into account.
• Diet and Medication followed by subjects was not controlled.

 

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Nejati S. et.al., (2015) Studied the effect of Group Mindfulness-Based Stress-Reduction Program and Conscious Yoga on Lifestyle, Coping Strategies, and Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressures in Patients with Hypertension.  This study was a randomized clinical trial.  The study sample, consisting of 30 patients referring to the Hypertension Clinic of Imam Hossein Hospital in 2013, was assigned either to the intervention (recipient of the MBSRP and conscious yoga) or to the control group (recipient of yoga training).  The intervention group had 8 training sessions over 8 weeks.  Lifestyle and coping strategies as well as blood pressure were measured in the intervention group before intervention and then immediately thereafter and at 2 months' follow-up and were compared to those in the control group at the same time points.  The mean age of the patients in the intervention (40% women) and control (53% women) groups was 43.66 ± 5.14 and 43.13 ± 5.04 years, respectively.  The results showed that the mean scores of lifestyle (p value < 0.05), emotion-focused coping strategies (p value < 0.001), problem-focused coping strategies (p value < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p value < 0.001), and systolic blood pressure (p value < 0.001) were significantly different between the intervention and control groups after the intervention.

Marshall Haginset.et.al., (2013) studied the effectiveness of Yoga for Hypertension: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Most studies were conducted in India (n=8) and the USA (n=6), with the remaining conducted in The Netherlands (n=1), Brazil (n=1), and Thailand (n=1). The mean length of time used for yoga practice was 58.9 (±56.1) hours; 12 studies had fewer hours and 5 had more hours than the average.  The subgroup analysis for type of yoga intervention suggests that incorporating three elements of practice (posture, meditation, and breathing) is associated with significant reductions in blood pressure whereas yoga interventions using two or fewer elements of yoga practice or that combine yoga practice with additional interventions are not. The subgroup analysis regarding type of comparison group suggests that RCTs comparing yoga to usual care showed that yoga had a significant effect on blood pressure compared to no treatment but not when compared to exercise or other types of treatment. It was suggested that yoga may offer an effective intervention for reducing blood pressure among people with prehypertension or hypertension.

METHODOLOGY

To achieve the purpose of the study, 90 subjects came forward among them 60 were screened and 30 hypertensive middle aged stressed women were selected randomly for the study using random sampling method from Thiruvallur, between the age group of 35 to 45 years and they are equally divided into two groups I and II with 15 subjects in each group. Preliminary test was taken for the two groups (I and II) on the selected dependent variable before the start of the training program. Group I was given yogic practices for 60 minutes 6 days for a total period of twelve weeks. Group II (control group) was permitted to undergo their routine and normal life style during the course of experiment without any specific training. After 12 weeks, the two groups were rested again on the same selected dependent variable, the selected physiological variables such as systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA) was used to find out the significant differences between experimental groups and the control group. The test of significance was fixed at 0.05 level of confidence.

YOGIC PRACTICES

            1. Loosening the joints.

2. Surya Namaskar (Modified)

3. Asanas

• Vajrasana
• Paschimottanasana
• Sukhasana
• Ardha matsyendrasana
• Bhddhakonasana
• Janusirsasana
• Sethubandhasana
• Ardha halasana
• Savasana

4. Pranayama

• Anulomvilom
• Sitali

5. Yoga Nidra

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The data pertaining to the variable collected from the groups before and after the training period were statistically analyzed by using analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA) to determine the significant difference and the hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of confidence.

The obtained F-ratio value  for the Blood pressure (systolic/Diastolic) were greater than the table value , indicating that there was a significant difference among the post test and adjusted post- test means of the yogic practice group than the control group on selected physiological variables.

Table I

ANALYSIS OF CO-VARIANCE OF THE MEANS OF TWO EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS AND THE CONTROL GROUP ON SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE(Scores in mmHg)

Test	Experimental group A	Control Group B	Source of Variation	Degrees of Freedom	Sum of Squares	Mean Sum of Squares	F-Ratio
Pre	132.27	130.47	Between	1	24.30	24.30	0.94
			Within	28	720.67	25.74
Post	120.80	130.47	Between	1	700.83	700.83	50.04*
			Within	28	392.13	14.00
Adjusted Post	120.29	130.98	Between	1	828.66	828.66	139.36*
			Within	27	160.54	5.95

* Significant at 0.05 level of confidence. (Table F ratio at 0.05 level, of confidence for df 1 and 28= 4.20, 1    and    27= 4.21)

The obtained F value on pre test scores 0.94 was lesser than the required F value of 4.20 to be significant at 0.05 level. This proved that there was a significant difference between the groups a pre-test and post-test and the randomization at the pre-test was equal. The post test scores analysis proved that there was significant difference between the groups, as obtained F value 50.04 was greater than the required F value of 4.20. This proved that the differences between the post- test means of the subjects were significant. Taking into consideration the pre and post test scores among the groups, adjusted mean scores were calculated and subjected to statistical treatment. The obtained F value 139.36 was greater than the required F value of 4.20. This proved that there was a significant difference on systolic blood pressure reduced due to 12 weeks of yogic practices among Hypertensive middle aged stressed women. The result of this study on stress has in line with the study conducted byNejati S. et.al., (2015)

The ordered adjusted means on stress were presented through bar diagram for better understanding of the results of this study in Figure -1.

                                                                   Figure – 1

BAR DIAGRAM SHOWING THE MEAN DIFFERENCES AMONG THE GROUPS ON SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE(scores in mmHg)

* Significant at 0.05 level of confidence. (Table F ratio at 0.05 level, of confidence for df 1 and 28= 4.20, 1    and    27= 4.21)

 

Table II

ANALYSIS OF CO-VARIANCE OF THE MEANS OF TWO EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS AND THE CONTROL GROUP ON DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE(scores in mmHg)

Test	Experimental group A	Control Group B	Source of Variation	Degrees of Freedom	Sum of Squares	Mean Sum of Squares	F-Ratio
Pre	90.87	89	Between	1	26.13	26.13	1.91
			Within	28	383.73	13.70
Post	80.67	88.27	Between	1	433.20	433.20	47.70*
			Within	28	254.27	9.08
Adjusted Post	80.13	88.81	Between	1	529.23	529.23	113.90*
			Within	27	125.45	4.65

    * Significant at 0.05 level of confidence. (Table F ratio at 0.05 level, of confidence for df 1 and 28= 4.20,

1    and    27= 4.21)

The obtained F value on pre test scores 1.91 was lesser than the required F value of 4.20 to be significant at 0.05 level. This proved that there was a significant difference between the groups a pre-test and post-test and the randomization at the pre-test was equal. The post test scores analysis proved that there was significant difference between the groups, as obtained F value 47.70 was greater than the required F value of 4.20. This proved that the differences between the post- test means of the subjects were significant. Taking into consideration the pre and post test scores among the groups, adjusted mean scores were calculated and subjected to statistical treatment. The obtained F value 113.90 was greater than the required F value of 4.20. This proved that there was a significant difference on diastolic blood pressure reduced due to 12 weeks of yogic practices among Hypertensive middle aged stressed women. The result of this study on stress has in line with the study conducted byMarshall Haginset.et.al., (2013)

The ordered adjusted means on stress were presented through bar diagram for better understanding of the results of this study in Figure -2.

Figure – 2

BAR DIAGRAM SHOWING THE MEAN DIFFERENCES AMONG THE GROUPS ON DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE(scores in mmHg)

* Significant at 0.05 level of confidence. (Table F ratio at 0.05 level, of confidence for df 1 and 28= 4.20,1    and    27= 4.21)

 

DISCUSSION ON HYPOTHESIS

It was hypothesized that there would be significant differences on selected Physiological variables such as Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressuredue to yogic practices among hypertensive middle aged stressed women than the control group. The results proved that there were significant differences on Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure(Decreased) due to yogic practices than the control group among hypertensive middle aged stressed women.

CONCLUSION

It was concluded that yogic practices decreasedSystolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure among hypertensive middle aged stressed women. Hence, yogic practices are beneficial to hypertensive middle aged stressed women to maintain systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

 

REFERENCES                             

• Nejati S,et.al., (2015)on “Effect of Group Mindfulness-Based Stress-Reduction Program and Conscious Yoga on Lifestyle, Coping Strategies, and Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressures in Patients with Hypertension”, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, 10(3):140-8.
• Marshall Haginset. et al., (2013) studied the effectiveness of Yoga for Hypertension: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PP.13.