ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This case report aimed to evaluate 4 months of yoga practice on the quality of life (QOL) and estradiol levels of two postmenopausal women. METHODS: Participants were clinically healthy postmenopausal women, with follicle-stimulating hormone levels greater than or equal to 30âmIU/mL and a body mass index lower than 30âkg/m. The participants practiced yoga for 4 months in two 1-hour sessions per week. RESULTS: The participants exhibited an abnormal estrogen-level increase after 4 months of yoga practice and showed QOL improvements. CONCLUSIONS: In some cases, yoga practice can affect the female neuroendocrine system, increasing estrogen and improving QOL.
Subject(s)
Estrogens/blood , Postmenopause/blood , Quality of Life , Yoga , Body Mass Index , Female , Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood , Humans , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Introdução: A prática de yoga tem se mostrado positiva na redução de insônia. Outros estudos mostram redução de sintomas de climatério. Porém nenhum estudo havia sido realizado até o momento para verificar os efeitos da prática do yoga em mulheres na pós-menopausa com diagnóstico de insônia. Objetivo: avaliar o efeito da prática de Yoga como um tratamento na saúde física e mental, nos sintomas do climatério em mulheres na pós-menopausa com diagnóstico de insônia. Métodos: Mulheres entre 50 e 65 anos na pós-menopausa sem terapia hormonal, IAH (índice de apneia-hipopnéia)<15/hora com diagnóstico de insônia foram randomizadas em 3 grupos: grupo controle, grupo alongamento passivo, grupo Yoga. Foram aplicados questionários no momento pré e 4 meses após o início para avaliação da qualidade de vida na menopausa, avaliação dos sintomas de ansiedade e depressão, sintomatologia climatérica, gravidade de insônia, sonolência diurna, estresse além da polissonografia. O estudo teve duração de 4 meses. Resultados: 44 voluntárias terminaram o estudo. Quando comparado ao grupo controle, o grupo Yoga teve escores significativamente mais baixos para sintomatologia climatérica, gravidade de insônia, qualidade de vida na menopausa e a fase de resistência do estresse na condição pós-tratamento. A melhora na gravidade de insônia no grupo Yoga foi significativamente maior que os grupos controle e alongamento passivo. Conclusão: Este estudo mostrou que uma sequência específica de Yoga pode ser eficiente para melhora da insônia, qualidade de vida e sintomas de menopausa em mulheres na pós-menopausa com insônia.
Subject(s)
Yoga , Postmenopause , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance DisordersABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The practice of yoga has been proven to have positive effects on reducing insomnia. Studies have also shown its effects on reducing climacteric symptoms. To date, however, no studies that evaluate the effects of yoga on postmenopausal women with a diagnosis of insomnia in a randomized clinical trial have been conducted. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of yoga practice on the physical and mental health and climacteric symptoms of postmenopausal women with a diagnosis of insomnia. METHODS: Postmenopausal women not undergoing hormone therapy, who were 50 to 65 years old, who had an apnea-hypopnea index less than 15, and who had a diagnosis of insomnia were randomly assigned to one of three groups, as follows: control, passive stretching, and yoga. Questionnaires were administered before and 4 months after the intervention to evaluate quality of life, anxiety and depression symptoms, climacteric symptoms, insomnia severity, daytime sleepiness, and stress. The volunteers also underwent polysomnography. The study lasted 4 months. RESULTS: There were 44 volunteers at the end of the study. When compared with the control group, the yoga group had significantly lower posttreatment scores for climacteric symptoms and insomnia severity and higher scores for quality of life and resistance phase of stress. The reduction in insomnia severity in the yoga group was significantly higher than that in the control and passive-stretching groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that a specific sequence of yoga might be effective in reducing insomnia and menopausal symptoms as well as improving quality of life in postmenopausal women with insomnia.
