IIT Delhi Study Finds Lower Stress Among Yoga Practitioners During COVID-19 Lockdown
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi researchers have conducted a study on the correlation between yoga and stress during the COVID-19 lockdown. They have concluded that the yoga practitioners experienced lower levels of stress, anxiety and depression during four to ten weeks of lockdown.
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi researchers have conducted a study on the correlation between yoga and stress during the COVID-19 lockdown. They have concluded that the yoga practitioners experienced lower levels of stress, anxiety and depression during four to ten weeks of lockdown.
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A team of scientists from the National Resource Centre for Value Education in Engineering (NRCVEE), an academic centre at IIT Delhi, including Dr Pooja Sahni, NRCVEE, Mr Nitesh, NRCVEE, Dr Kamlesh Singh, Professor at Humanities and Social Sciences Department, IIT Delhi and Prof Rahul Garg, Head, NRCVEE.
The study has been titled as ‘Yoga an effective strategy for self-management of stress-related problems and wellbeing during COVID-19 lockdown: A cross-sectional study’ was published in a journal named PLOS ONE.
The study led by Dr Pooja Sahni was conducted on a total of 668 adults during COVID-19 lockdown, between April 26 and June 8, 2020. 2020.
The participants were grouped as; yoga practitioners, other spiritual practitioners, and non-practitioners based on their responses to daily practices that they follow. Yoga practitioners were further examined based on the duration of practice as; long-term, mid-term and beginners.
The longer term practitioners reported higher personal control and lower illness concern in contracting COVID-19 than the mid-term or beginner group. The long-term and mid-term practitioners reported lower emotional impact of COVID-19 and lower risk in contracting the virus.
Dr Pooja Sahni explained the results as she said, “Our study has mapped the effect of yoga on the cognitive and emotional problems of COVID-19, besides showing beneficial effects of yoga on general wellbeing during adversity”.
“Evidence supports that yoga was found as an effective self- management strategy to cope with stress, anxiety and depression, and maintain wellbeing during COVID-19 lockdown”, she added.
Another researcher said that yoga as a subject must be included in the higher education curriculum.
