Laval University, Canada, conducted a study evaluating yoga’s impact on heart health. The research team found that yoga is essential for muscle training, and adding 15 minutes of exercise to your workout routine could improve the functioning of your heart. The reason is that yoga lowers resting heart rate and blood pressure.
Other studies have shown the benefit of yoga
Other studies have looked into the benefits of yoga to the body. They have found that it can improve mental and physical health by relieving symptoms of atrial fibrillation.
According to Dr. Paul Poirier, a senior study author from Laval University’s Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, researchers aimed to find out if adding yoga to your regular heart routine could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Poirier adds that although many studies have shown the benefits of yoga to heart health, there are many yoga types, intensities, duration, session lengths, frequencies, and components. For this reason, the team tried to take a scientific approach to determine which yoga could be most beneficial to heart health and find a way to incorporate it into healthcare as a primary prevention technique for patients at risk of cardiovascular disease.
How researchers conducted the study
The researchers gathered 60 patients with hypertension and metabolic syndrome for the study. The latter refers to the combination of hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. Then, they put the participants through an exercise training program that lasted three months. The researchers split the participants into two groups. The groups were both to do 30 minutes of aerobic exercises. However, they did either stretching it structured yoga for fifteen minutes after their workout.
The team measured their lipids and glucose levels, sensitivity to C-reactive protein, physical form and size, and blood pressure. They also looked at their Reynolds and Framingham Risk scores. These scores evaluate the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. Dr. Poirier states that the study shows another non-pharmacological approach to taking in patients at risk for cardiovascular disease. It also shows how to lower blood pressure to prevent heart issues. The team published their study in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
