Yoga Improves Anxiety and Vital Signs of Women with Premenstrual Syndrome

Abstract

Objective: To study the effects of yoga on anxiety and vital signs in women that at the same time suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Material and Methods: In this randomized controlled clinical trial, yoga administered to subjects with PMS for ten weeks in three sessions with a duration of 60 minutes. Women in the control group did not do any yoga. The demographic questionnaire was filled in by subjects before the intervention. Subjects were also expressed their experiences by filling the Hamilton anxiety rating scale twice, before and after the intervention. Sixty-two subjects were entered into the study equally divided into yoga and control groups, randomly. Results: The symptoms of anxiety including anxious mood, tension, fears, insomnia, intellectual, depressed mood, somatic (muscular), somatic (sensory), cardiovascular symptoms, respiratory symptoms, autonomic symptoms were significantly improved in the yoga group after intervention compared to the control group (P<0.05), except gastrointestinal symptoms, genitourinary symptoms, and behavior at the interview, based on Mann-Whitney Test. Vital signs did not change after yoga exercises except diastolic pressure which was regulated (P<0.05). Conclusions: Yoga significantly affected the anxiety and condition of women with PMS concluding applicability of yoga for women with PMS to pass menstrual cycles with less anxiety.

Effects of Yoga for Coping with Premenstrual Symptoms in Taiwan—A Cluster Randomized Study

“…Our study found that after three months of yoga practice, participants successfully reduced the impact of premenstrual symptoms on their work, daily routine, hobbies, social activities, and relationships. These findings are consistent with previous studies [ 47 , 60 , 63 , 64 , 65 ] indicating that yoga can improve physical and mental wellness and reduce the impact of symptoms on women’s daily life.…”

“…Other disturbances, including feeling anxious, sensitive to rejection, and out of control, and experiencing mood swings, lowered interest, difficulty concentrating, lethargy, increased appetite, and cravings for specific foods, were significantly decreased after three months of yoga intervention. These findings are partially supported by other research [ 41 , 60 , 62 ], in which it was found that symptoms including anxiety [ 60 , 62 ], fatigue [ 60 ], reduced interest, difficulty concentrating [ 32 , 41 ], and changes in appetite [ 60 ] were improved in the yoga group.…”

Management of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: A Scoping Review

“…172 Small RCTs of yoga for PMS shown positive findings on symptoms as well as dimensions such as sleep quality, but as yoga is a broad intervention compromising multiple techniques, further studies better delineating the specifics of the intervention tested are necessary. [173][174][175][176][177][178] A 2020 meta-analysis of RCTs evaluating the effect of exercise on PMS selected 15 studies of at least eight weeks duration; significant improvement in PMS symptoms was demonstrated compared to controls, but evidence quality was limited, with high heterogeneity of studies. 179 Other studies of swimming, 180 pilates, 181 traditional Chinese exercise Baduanjin, 182 and simple aerobic exercise [183][184][185] have had similar positive results, although quality of data is limited.…”