Sep 20, 2020 21:00:00

The effects of yoga are shown to be 'short-term' compared to cognitive-behavioral therapy

Studies have shown that meditation and yoga lower blood pressure and reduce physical stress, but new studies have shown that these effects of yoga are short-term.

Efficacy of Yoga vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs Stress Education for the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial | Complementary and Alternative Medicine | JAMA Psychiatry | JAMA Network
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2769486

Yoga Shown to Improve Anxiety, Study Finds | NYU Langone News
https://nyulangone.org/news/yoga-shown-improve-anxiety-study-finds

Scientists Compared Yoga And Therapy For Chronic Anxiety, With Mixed Results
https://www.sciencealert.com/new-trial-compares-yoga-and-therapy-as-a-treatment-for-anxiety

The scientific effects of yoga shown so far have been from small experiments and are not yet fully evidenced, but preliminary experiments also reduce anxiety and stress and are positive for cognition. It shows the possibility of having a positive impact. On the other hand, Naomi Simon of New York University has started a new study this time because the effect when compared with other treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has not been sufficiently investigated. ..

The study enrolled 226 adults diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and randomly assigned one of cognitive-behavioral therapy, kundalini yoga, or anxiety management classes, 20 minutes each day for 12 minutes. I had them go for a week. Kundalini yoga is a type of yoga that teaches meditation, breathing, relaxation exercises, and physical awareness as well as posing.

Researchers initially thought that both treatments would be as effective, but after the experiment they said they had unexpected results. First, one-third of the groups who took anxiety management classes reported improvement. More than half of the yoga groups reported improvement, but three-quarters of the cognitive-behavioral therapy group reported the effect. ..

And in a follow-up study months after the experiment, people who received cognitive-behavioral therapy reported significant improvement in symptoms over those who took stress management lessons, while those who practiced yoga reported stress management lessons. It was shown that there was not much difference in symptoms from those who received it. From this, researchers understand that the effects of yoga are short-term.

'There are different options for treating anxiety. Different people respond differently to treatments, and different options help remove the barriers to treatment,' said Simon. We are looking for alternative and complementary treatments, including yoga. This study shows that yoga is worth trying for people with generalized anxiety disorder, at least in the short term. Yoga is easy to practice and has many health benefits, without the resistance and ineffectiveness of medicine. '

The study does not clarify why yoga does not work in the long run. In addition, ' mindfulness ' practiced by Google is said to 'reduce stress' and 'reduce the risk of illness', but as a result of yoga and cognitive behavioral therapy, the degree of mindfulness of the subject increases. That didn't happen either. Researchers also say that the reason for this is unknown at the time of writing the article.