Practicing yoga may help to reduce seizures and anxiety in epilepsy patients, according to a new study.
The findings, now published in the journal Neurology, also showed that yoga can help reduce feelings of stigma around epilepsy.
In the study, those who did yoga were more than four times as likely to have more than 50 percent reduction in the number of seizures experienced after six months.
There was also a notable decrease in anxiety symptoms for people who did yoga versus those who did not, as well as marked improvements in quality of life measures and mindfulness.
Study author Dr. Manjari Tripathi, of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, said: “People with epilepsy often face stigma that can cause them to feel different than others due to their own health condition and that can have a significant impact on their quality of life.
“This stigma can affect a person’s life in many ways including treatment, emergency department visits and poor mental health.
“Our study showed that doing yoga can alleviate the burden of epilepsy and improve the overall quality of life by reducing this perceived stigma.”
For the study, researchers examined participants, aged 30, with epilepsy in India and measured feelings of stigma based on participants’ answers to questions.
These included if they ever felt discriminated against, if they felt different from others or if they cannot contribute anything in society.
They then identified 160 people who met the criteria for experiencing stigma. Participants had an average of one seizure per week and on average took at least two anti-seizure medications.
Researchers then randomly assigned participants to receive yoga therapy or sham yoga therapy.
Yoga therapy included exercises in loosening muscles, breathing, meditation and positive affirmations.
Sham yoga, meanwhile, consisted of exercises that mimic the same seen in yoga, but participants were not given instructions on two key components that are believed to induce a relaxation response: slow, synchronized breathing and attention to body movements and sensations during practice.
Each group received seven supervised group sessions of 45 to 60 minutes over three months. Participants were also asked to practice sessions at home at least five times a week for 30 minutes.
They tracked seizures and yoga sessions in a journal. After the three months of therapy, participants were followed for another three months.
Dr. Tripathi added: “These study findings elevate the need to consider alternative therapies and activities for people with epilepsy facing stigma.
“Yoga may not only help reduce stigma, but also improve quality of life and mindfulness. Plus, yoga can be easily prerecorded and shared with patients online using minimal resources and costs.”
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
