Yoga and Hypertension

2005-09-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

Yoga is tremendously beneficial to one’s physiological health. In particular, it can help those who suffer from hypertension (commonly known as high blood pressure). Numerous studies have demonstrated that the practice of yoga is just as effective as medication in lowering blood pressure. This is because yoga aims at combating stress, a major cause of hypertension (Raub 2002). In addition, the poses required by most yoga regiments work to restore one’s baroflex sensitivity, which plays a crucial role in fighting lowering blood pressure (Jayasinghe 2004).
Combined with a healthy diet, yoga has been shown to be more effective than aerobic exercise in reducing cholesterol and improving overall cardiovascular health (Biljani 2005). In fact, yoga has been proven to be the most effective of the mind-body therapies in lowering blood pressure. (Astin 2003) One study suggests that one hour a day may be sufficient to reap the benefits (Jayasinghe 2004).
Yoga can improve the health of persons afflicted with a multitude of physical and psychological problems; from college students suffering from depression to elderly persons recovering from stroke, it has been proven to offer invaluable health benefits (Bastille 2004). For pregnant women in particular, yoga is especially helpful in preventing pregnancy induced hypertension, and ensuring healthy fetal development (Narendran 2005)