Review of Review of Shavasan Shavasan Studies Conducted Studies Conducted at JIPMER During 2001-2002at JIPMER During 2001-2002

Madanmohan , Madanmohan , Vijayalakshmi P , Udupa Kaviraja , Vijayalakshmi P , Udupa Kaviraja ,

Bhavanani AB , Prakash ES Bhavanani AB , Prakash ES

Department of Physiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate

Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry –6, India.

  

3 Shavasan 3 Shavasan Studies Conducted at Studies Conducted at JIPMER During 2001-2002JIPMER During 2001-2002

Modulation of cold pressor-induced stress by Modulation of cold pressor-induced stress by shavasanshavasan in normal adult volunteers in normal adult volunteers

Modulation of stress induced by isometric hand grip test in hypertensive patients following yogic relaxation training

Effect of Shavasan on heart rate variability (HRV) in normal student volunteers

MODULATION OF MODULATION OF COLD PRESSOR-INDUCED COLD PRESSOR-INDUCED

STRESS STRESS BY BY SHAVASANSHAVASAN

IN NORMAL ADULT VOLUNTEERS IN NORMAL ADULT VOLUNTEERS

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

Modern man is the victim of stress and stress-

induced disorders

Shavasan is known to produce relaxation and

enhance one’s ability to combat stress

Cold pressor test measures the stress-induced

sympathetic response

OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

To quantify the sympathetic response to the stress

induced by cold pressor test

Role of shavasan, if any in modulating this

response

Possible mechanisms involved in such a

modulation

METHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGY

Ten normal adult volunteers were taught shavasan

R-R interval variation (RRIV),deep breathing

difference(DBD) and cold pressor test were

performed before and after ten minutes of

shavasan

RESULTSRESULTS

0

5

10

15

20

25

RRIV DBD

RR

IV (%

) / D

BD

(bea

ts p

er m

in)

Before

After

RESULTS (contd.)RESULTS (contd.)

60

70

80

90B

asal

30 s

60 s

90 s

120

s

180

s

240

s

300

s

360

s

420

s

Hea

rt ra

te (b

eats

/min

)

Before

After

RESULTS (contd.)RESULTS (contd.)

60

70

80

90

100

110

Basa

l

30 s

60 s

90 s

120

s

180

s

240

s

300

s

360

s

420

s

RP

P

BeforeAfter

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

Shavasan can :

Enhance the parasympathetic activity

Blunt the sympathetic activity

Reduce the load on the heart

Therefore, enhance one’s ability to withstand

stressful stimuli

SUMMARYSUMMARY

To study the anti-stress effect of shavasan

Cold pressor test was used to induce stress

Shavasan enhanced one’s ability to

withstand stressful stimuli

Modulation of stress induced by isometric hand grip test

in hypertensive patients following yogic relaxation

training

IntroductionIntroductionModern man has become a victim of stress and

stress induced health disorders.Yoga includes a vast number of techniques

designed for perfect health tried and tested for over 5,000 years.

Many articles were published on the role of yoga in the manage-ment of essential hypertension.

But majority of workers used only shavasana and reported their results before and after yoga training.

Lack of literature on BP response to IHG test and on RPP with yoga training.

AIMSAIMSTo study the effect of yoga relaxation

exercises on BP, HR and RPP in uncomplicated EH.

To record the response of BP, HR and RPP to IHG test before and after yoga training.

MATERIALMATERIAL AND AND METHODSMETHODSSubjects - 13 male patients of uncomplicated

EH from JIPMER staff clinic.Age - 41 to 60 y.Duration - 5 to 10 y.Drugs - Tab atenolol/amlodipine.Yoga training – 1 hr daily for 6 days/week for

4 weeks.

Yogasanas and pranayama– Pranava pranayama– Mini shavasana– Naukasana– Vipareetakarini– Matsyasana– Chandra anuloma pranayama– Shashasana– Kayakriya– Savitri pranayama– Shavasana.

Parameters: SP, DP, PP, MP, HR & RPP before yoga training and every week for 4 weeks of training.

Non-invasive semi-automatic blood pressure monitor (press-mate 8800, Colin corp. , Japan).

Response to IHG test before and after yoga training.

Inflated sphygmomanometer cuff for IHG test and maintained 1/3rd of MVC pressure.

Student’s paired ‘t’ test.P<0.05 significant difference between

compared values.

RESULTS AND RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION

Parameters Basal 1st week

2nd week

3rd week 4th week

SP 141.69 ±3.41

145.15 ±3.50

136.69 ±2.28

127.92 ±3.72 **

120.69 ±2.27****

DP 87.84 ±1.58

88.30 ±1.63

82.46 ±1.62 *

77.92 2.29***

75.76 ±2.23****

MP 105.55 ±1.63

107.25 ±2.09

100.53 ±1.36 *

94.58 ±2.45 ***

90.74 ±1.75****

HR 84.38 ±3.50

79.15 ±3.86

73.15 ±3.15*

73.53 ±3.01 *

74.23 ±3.04 *

RPP 119.54 ±6.30

115.56 ±7.51

99.90 ±4.42 *

94.04 ±4.75 ***

89.39 ±3.69 ***

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

SP DP PP MP HR RPP

Basal 1st week2nd week 3rd week4th week

*

*******

**

****

****

*

***

*

***

*** ***

Parameters Before yoga After yogaRest IHG Rest IHG

SP 141.69 ±3.41

160.46 ±7.90 *

120.69±2.27

145.00 ± 4.40 ****

DP 87.84±1.58

95.69± 5.93

75.76± 2.23

93.15 ± 3.64***

PP 53.84± 3.54

64.76± 5.05

44.92± 3.00

53.53 ± 2.98

MP 103.55± 1.63

117.27± 6.28

90.74±1.75

110.99 ± 3.71****

HRbeats/min

84.38± 3.50

90.49± 3.91

74.23± 3.04

87.00 ±3.77**

RPP 119.54± 6.30

147.11±11.67

89.39 ±3.69

126.44 ±7.13**

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

SP DP PP MP HR RPP

Before yoga training RestBefore yoga training IHG testAfter yoga training RestAfter yoga training IHG test

* ****

***

****

**

**

Significant SP – 3rd wk onwards.Significant DP, MP, HR & RPP -

2nd week onwards.No significant change in PP.RPP shows reduced work load on

heart.

– IHG Vs Rest before and after yoga training.Significant only in SP before yoga.Significant in SP, DP, MP, HR & RPP

after yoga.10 mm Hg or less rise in DP – abnormal

cardiovascular reflexes.

– 16 mm Hg or more rise in DP – normal reflexes.

– In our study rise in DP was ~ 8 mm Hg before yoga and 17.39 mm Hg after yoga.

– Indicates the activity of reflex mechanisms were improved towards normal.

SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONSSUMMARY & CONCLUSIONS

4 weeks yoga training has effectively reduced BP, HR & RPP.

Reduction change in BP,HR & RPP from 2nd week onwards.

Significant in BP, HR & RPP with IHG after training shows very good sign of restoration in the cardio-vascular reflex mechanisms.

Resulted in reduced drug dosage and contributed to mental and physical wellbeing.

Since EH is mainly caused by the stress and strain, combination of yoga and medicine will reverse the disorder.

Regular practice of yoga produces long lasting changes even in chronic cases.

Medicine reduces EH in the acute cases and yoga removes it in long term and prevents recurrence.

Hence, the techniques of yoga can be used as an effective adjuvant for drug therapy in the treatment of EH.

Review of Literature:Review of Literature:

The effect of shavasan on heart rate variability (HRV) is not known.

We investigated the effect of shavasan on BP, HR and HRV as measured by sympathovagal balance (SVB), coefficient of variation of RR intervals (CVRRI) and total power of the RR-interval spectrum.

Effect of Effect of ShavasanShavasan on on heart rate variability (HRV) heart rate variability (HRV)

in in normal student volunteersnormal student volunteers

Subjects and Methods:Subjects and Methods: Twenty six school children (13 boys and 13 girls)

aged 16 years were recruited for the study. Their BP, HR and HRV were recorded in supine

position under standard conditions. A 5-minute ECG was recorded and the RR-interval

series was subjected to fast Fourier transformation and an RR-interval power spectrum obtained.

SVB was calculated as the ratio of low frequency (LF) (0.04 – 0.15 Hz) and high frequency powers (HF) (0.15 – 0.40 Hz).

Subjects and methods Subjects and methods (contd.):(contd.):

The subjects were then given shavasan training and practiced the same under our supervision for a period of six weeks.

BP, HR and HRV were recorded under similar conditions after the training period.

Results:Results:Parameter Before After P value

Resting heart rate (beats/min)

73.45 68.61 0.02

Systolic pressure(mm Hg)

113.80 109.46 0.02

Diastolic pressure (mm Hg)

61.77 57.53 0.004

Mean arterial pressure (mm Hg)

81.31 75.50 0.0006

Rate-pressure product(mm Hg / min)

8375 7540 0.01

Indices of heart rate Indices of heart rate variability:variability:

Coefficient of variation of RR-intervals (CVRRI) was calculated as

CVRRI = (SDNN / Mean RR)*100(LF) nu = LF / (LF + HF) * 100(HF) nu = HF / (LF + HF) * 100Total power of the RR-interval spectrum =

VLF + LF + HF power

Effect of Shavasan training on Effect of Shavasan training on HRVHRV

Parameter Before After P valueCVRRI 8.16 9.43 0.023

LF power (nu)

40.08 41.25 0.737

HF power (nu)

59.92 58.75 0.737

Total power(absolute)

7.36 10.51 0.006

SVB 0.82 0.79 0.866

Conclusion:Conclusion:

The practice of shavasan increases heart rate variability.

Implications:Implications:

Shavasan may improve quality of life in healthy individuals

May be used as therapy for patients with mental health disorders, hypertension. Drug dosages could be reduced in these patients.

JIPMER