Older women do yoga exercises together in a healing therapy class.

Study on yoga and mental health in older women

Meena Ramanathan et al.

January 2017

Mental health

Yoga for women

The aim of the study, published in 2017, was to investigate the effects of yoga on the mental health of older women living in a hospice. 40 participants were randomly divided into a yoga group and a control group that was on the waiting list.

The yoga program designed for seniors included various exercises such as warm-up exercises, breathing techniques and relaxation and was performed twice a week for 12 weeks. The participants' anxiety, depression and self-esteem were measured before and after the program.

The results showed that all parameters improved significantly in the yoga group compared to the control group. The study suggests that yoga can effectively reduce depression and anxiety while increasing self-esteem in older women, possibly due to physiological changes in neurotransmitters and autonomic nervous system activity.

She advocates integrating yoga into healthcare facilities for older people to improve their mental well-being and overall quality of life.

The most important information on the study at a glance

Indications: Depression, anxiety, self-esteem
Institution: Center for Yoga Therapy, Education and Research, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth University, MGMCRI Campus, Puducherry, India
Title: Study on yoga and mental health in older women
Brief description: Study shows that yoga reduces depression and anxiety in older women and increases self-esteem.
Original title: Effect of a 12-week yoga therapy program on mental health status in elderly women inmates of a hospice
Link to the study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5225740/