Effect of Yoga on Cardiac autonomic stress reactivity and cognitive functions among individuals with elevated anxiety: A randomized controlled trial

This study explores the impact of an 8-week yoga intervention on individuals with elevated anxiety. Anxiety, characterized by heightened stress and hyperarousal, is linked to impaired cardiac autonomic functions and cognitive deficits, negatively affecting overall well-being and academic performance. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to evaluate how yoga influences cardiac autonomic stress reactivity, cognitive functions (working memory and attention), and psychological measures like anxiety, stress, and sleep quality. Participants, aged 18–25, will be randomly assigned to either a yoga intervention group or a control group. The yoga group will engage in structured 60-minute sessions three times a week, focusing on traditional practices to enhance vagal tone and autonomic balance. The control group will participate in walking exercises. Data will be collected using tools like heart rate variability, cognitive assessments, and validated psychological scales. Yoga’s potential to reduce sympathetic overactivity and improve parasympathetic activity aligns with evidence supporting its benefits in reducing stress, enhancing cognitive performance, and improving mental health. If successful, the study could position yoga as a low-cost, community-based intervention for managing anxiety and its associated challenges, contributing to the growing field of mind-body research.