Yoga | Study Finds Correlation Between Positive Mood And Yoga

Sunday, August 29th, 2010

Study Finds Correlation Between Positive Mood and Yoga

Many forms of exercise have been linkedto an inherent abilityto decrease stress and improve overall mood and outlook. Now, findings from a recent study suggest that yoga may be a superior form of exercise when weighed against certain others for its positive effects onoveralloutlookand anxiety .

Conducted by researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), the focal point of the study centered on brain gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) levels, a regulator of neuron excitability in the central nervous system. Specifically, findings from other recent industry studies have revealed that low levels of GABA are associated with depression and other common anxiety disorders.

The BUSM study compared the fluctuation in GABA levels of participants who participated in yoga to that of participants who exercised by walking. Findings concluded that yoga participants had increased levels of GABA.

Participants were also asked to describe their mental stateseveral times throughout the study, and those practicing yoga regularly noted greater improvement with mood and anxiety compared to those who walked.

“Over time, positive changes in these reports were associated with climbing GABA levels,” said lead author Chris Streeter, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at BUSM.

With an estimated 11 million Americans practicing yoga currently, this form of exercise has been touted for its physical and mentalhealth benefits towardimproving such areas asstrength, flexibility, concentration and relaxation. The BUSM study is the first to identifyan association between the practice of yoga, increased GABA levels and the overall effect on mood and stress.

In late 2009, findings were released from a study conducted by the Yale

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