20 minutes of Yoga: A good mind booster
Just 20 minutes of yoga a day sharpens the mind, researchers say. The ancient practice was found to be more effective at boosting brain power than conventional aerobic exercise. Researchers in America discovered that a single session of Hatha yoga significantly improved a person’s speed and accuracy when tested on their working memory and concentration.
Lead author of the study, Neha Gothe, professor of kinesiology (human movement), health and sport studies at Wayne State University in Detroit, explained: ‘Yoga is an ancient Indian science and way of life that includes not only physical movements and postures but also regulated breathing and meditation.
‘The practice involves an active attentional or mindfulness component but its potential benefits have not been thoroughly explored.’
During the experimental yoga sessions participants were asked to assume postures stood up, sat down and laid down, while keeping their breathing steady.
The exercises included isometric contractions of different muscles in the body, where the muscles are tensed and relaxed without moving any limbs. The exercises were followed by a mediation session, when participants focused on posture and deep breathing.
Researchers also put the guinea pigs through their paces on a treadmill for the same 20-minute period, keeping their heart rate up between 60 and 70 per cent of the maximum.
They found that people who had been for a 20-minute jog were less able to focus mentally on tasks than they were following a yoga session. Gothe said: ‘It appears that following yoga practice, the participants were better able to focus their mental resources, process information quickly, more accurately and also learn, hold and update pieces of information more effectively than after performing an aerobic exercise bout.
‘The breathing and meditative exercises aim at calming the mind and body and keeping distracting thoughts away while you focus on your body, posture or breath.’ ‘Maybe these processes translate beyond yoga practice when you try to perform mental tasks or day-to-day activities.’
Gothe conceded that the team could not pinpoint any specific process that takes place during yoga that boosted the mental state of the participants, suggesting the relaxation from meditation could hold the answer.
She said: ‘Many factors could explain the results. ‘Enhanced self-awareness that comes with meditational exercises is just one of the possible mechanisms.’
© Daily Mail
Follow @timesonlinelk
comments powered by Disqus