Positive Psychological Changes at High Altitude Shown by the Low Landers after the Yoga Intervention-Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY).

Background: Immediate assent to high altitude affects the cognitive performance and mood of an individual, which is followed by depression and anxiety. It also affects the sleep quality, general health, and happiness quotient of an individual. Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) is a cyclical breathing technique, which has been proven successful in managing stress, depression, anxiety, and helps in the improvement of sleep quality. Purpose: The current study was to understand the role of SKY meditation on psychological parameters, happiness quotient of low landers at high altitude (Leh). Methods: It is a two-armed pre-post study with experimental and control group both are lowlanders, and their psychological parameters are being assessed when they immediately assent to high altitude (Leh). There are two groups experimental group (SKY) was from AOL SKY-AMP and has prior SKY meditation experience. The control group does not have any yoga or meditation experience. SKY-AMP is a 4 days protocol done at high altitude by the SKY group. Both groups reach Leh through air mode transportation. Results: Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) showed a significant result in the SKY group with P ≤ .001, whereas it is nonsignificant in the control group. We also observed anthropometric and physiological changes in the participants showing significant effects on weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and blood pressure; with no significant effect in the control group. It is one of the first studies done with both two groups, where yoga and meditation are done at high altitude and then seen the changes in the groups at physical and psychological level. Conclusion: Yogic practices can be helpful in having positive psychological change in the lowlanders at high altitude.

Physical and mental health at high altitude of individuals doing yogic practices.

Objectives: There is an increase trend in the past few years, in the number of people traveling to high altitude for recreational activities such as pilgrims, mountaineering, and climbing and for occupational purposes such as defense and mining which have resulted in increasing in hypoxia conditions and anxiety-related medical problems at high altitude. As it is known that mental stress affects brain and heart functions, a recent research performed on Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) further validated the effectiveness of SKY on participants (practicing SKY) as compared to control after quantifying mental stress. To study the physiological effect of SKY advance breathing technique when immediately ascends to high altitude, we wanted to study the level of stress and mental well-being of lowlanders at high altitude. Materials and Methods: It is an interventional study performed at high altitudes, with low landers as participants where their biochemical and psychological parameters are being assessed. Results: The result for biochemical parameter cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), very low-density lipoproteins, LDL-HDL ratio, and cholesterol-HDL ratio showed a significant decrease in the pre- and post-analyses values with P ≤ 0.001. Acute mountain sickness (AMS), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) also show a decreasing trend with significant result in AMS, mental well-being, and non-significant in STAI p value is P = 0.016, P = 0.055, and P = 0.125, respectively. Conclusion: We observed positive outcome both in for biochemical and stress-related parameters with SKY advance program practitioners who have rapidly ascend to high altitude.

Effect of mindfulness meditation protocol in subjects with various psychometric characteristics at high altitude.

INTRODUCTION: Incidence of high altitude-related sickness is increasing due to more number of people visiting the areas of high altitude which may result in life-threatening conditions including acute mountain sickness (AMS), high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), high altitude cerebral edema (HACE), and High-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH). We hypothesized that an advanced yoga regimen may be beneficial in dealing with the physiology of acclimatization. METHODS: Anthropometric, Biochemical, and Psychological assessments were carried out in 48 participants before and after the advance meditation program (AMP) in the experimental group. Individuals with an age range of 20-65 years with no comorbidities were included in the study. Participants were exposed to AMP for 4 days. All assessments were carried out at the baseline and after the course. Prakriti was constituted for all participants using a standard questionnaire. The study was carried out after obtaining the written informed consent as per the guidelines outlined by the Institute Ethics Committee. RESULTS: Po2 and glucose levels were found significantly reduced along with changes in the Happiness index, anxiety, and mental well-being. However, participants with lowered Po2, after 4 days of mindfulness intervention, showed a positive outcome measured by the established scales of anxiety, happiness, and information processing. Psychometric or Prakriti wise analysis revealed that subject with "Pitta" constitution exposed to high altitude and advance meditation showed changes in more parameters than "Vatta" or "Kapha" Constitution. CONCLUSIONS: Advance meditation in the high altitude zone confers biochemical and neuro-cognitive benefits. Molecular studies may require to understand the role of hypoxic condition in improving the disease state.

Primer for Mainstreaming Mind-Body Techniques for Extreme Climates-Insights and Future Directions.

Background: The deprivation of oxygen reaching the tissues (also termed as hypoxia) affects the normal functioning of the body. This results in development of many diseases like ischemia, glaucoma, MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment), pulmonary and cerebral edema, stress and depression. There are no effective drugs that can treat such diseases. Despite such failure, alternative interventions such as mind-body techniques (MBTs) have not been adequately investigated. Methods: The first part of this review has been focused on philosophical aspects of various MBTs besides evolving an ayurgenomic perspective. The potential of MBTs as a preventive non-pharmacological intervention in the treatment of various general and hypoxic pathologies has been further described in this section. In the second part, molecular, physiological, and neuroprotective roles of MBTs in normal and hypoxic/ischemic conditions has been discussed. Results: In this respect, the importance of and in vivo studies has also been discussed. Conclusions: Although several studies have investigated the role of protective strategies in coping with the hypoxic environment, the efficacy of MBTs at the molecular level has been ignored.

A Large Sialolith Perforating the Wharton's Duct: Review of Literature and a Case Report.

Sialolithiasis accounts for the most common cause of diseases of salivary glands. The majority of sialoliths occur in the submandibular gland or the Wharton's duct. This article discusses review of literature, predisposing factors, signs and symptoms, diagnostic methods and various modalities available for the management of sialolithiasis. This case report presents a case of sialolith of a large size in the left Wharton's duct, which was explored and removed via an intra-oral approach.