Abstract
“A study of combined effect of yoga (yogic exercises, pranayama & meditation) on hyper-reactivity to cold pressor test in healthy individuals”. (Revised)
Chanda Rajak 1, Sanjeev Rampalliwar 2, Jitendra Mahour 3.
1. Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, S.S. Medical College, Rewa, India.
2. Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, S.S. Medical College, Rewa, India.
3. M.D. Student, Department of Physiology, S.S. Medical College, Rewa, India.
Corresponding Author:
Dr. Chanda Rajak
Quarter No. F -34, Doctor’s Colony, Rewa 486001(M.P.), India
E-mail – drchandarajak@gmail.com Mob. +919425470909
Source of Support: Nil
Conflict of Interest: Non declared
No. of Figures: 2
No. of Tables: 2
Word Counts (Text): 1622


ABSTRACT
Background: Now a day, stress is dangerous & significant problems of World & affects physical, mental, behavioral, & emotional health. Yoga has been reported to control stress, to be beneficial in treating stress related disorders, improving autonomic functions, lower blood pressure, increase strength & flexibility of muscles, improve the sense of well being, slow ageing process, control breathing, reducing signs of oxidative stress & improving spiritual growth.
Objective: The aim of present study was to investigate whether regular practice of Yoga for six months can reduce the cardiovascular hyper-reactivity induced by cold pressor test.
Material and Method: The study group comprised 75 healthy subjects of 25-45 years age group. Initially there were 27 hyper-reactors to cold pressor test. The hyper-reactivity of 22 volunteers converted to hypo-reactivity after the yoga therapy of six months (81.48%). Other parameters like basal blood pressure, rise in blood pressure, pulse rate and rate of respiration were also statistically significantly reduced (by using student’s‘t’ test)
Result: Regular practice of yoga significantly reduce the cardiovascular hyper-reactivity in basal blood pressure, rise in blood pressure after one minute of cold stress, pulse rate, & rate of respiration, after six month of yoga practice.
Conclusion: We conclude that regular practice of yoga for six months reduced the Cardiovascular hyper-reactivity to cold pressor test in subjects, who were hyper–reactive to cold stress, possibly by inducing parasympathetic predominance and cortico-hypothalamo-medullary inhibition.

Key words: Stress; Yoga; Cold pressor test; Hyper- reactive subjects; Blood pressure.