title: Effect of two yoga-based relaxation techniques on memory scores and state anxiety.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A yoga practice involving cycles of yoga postures and supine rest (called cyclic meditation) was previously shown to improve performance in attention tasks more than relaxation in the corpse posture (shavasana). This was ascribed to reduced anxiety, though this was not assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  In fifty-seven male volunteers (group average age +/- S.D., 26.6 +/- 4.5 years) the immediate effect of two yoga relaxation techniques was studied on memory and state anxiety. All participants were assessed before and after (i) Cyclic meditation (CM) practiced for 22:30 minutes on one day and (ii) an equal duration of Supine rest (SR) or the corpse posture (shavasana), on another day. Sections of the Wechsler memory scale (WMS) were used to assess; (i) attention and concentration (digit span forward and backward), and (ii) associate learning. State anxiety was assessed using Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant improvement in the scores of all sections of the WMS studied after both CM and SR, but, the magnitude of change was more after CM compared to after SR. The state anxiety scores decreased after both CM and SR, with a greater magnitude of decrease after CM. There was no correlation between percentage change in memory scores and state anxiety for either session.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A cyclical combination of yoga postures and supine rest in CM improved memory scores immediately after the practice and decreased state anxiety more than rest in a classical yoga relaxation posture (shavasana).
authors.affiliation: Indian Council of Medical Research Center for Advanced Research in Yoga and Neurophysiology, SVYASA, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Pailoor
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Subramanya
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Telles
references.citation: Int J Neurosci. 2006 Dec;116(12):1419-30
references.pmid: 17145677
references.citation: Percept Mot Skills. 2007 Oct;105(2):379-85
references.pmid: 18065059
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 1976;14(1):97-110
references.pmid: 1272517
references.citation: Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2006 Jun;31(2):143-53
references.pmid: 16838123
references.citation: Med Sci Monit. 2009 Jul;15(7):CR375-81
references.pmid: 19564829
references.citation: Am J Chin Med. 2002;30(4):451-61
references.pmid: 12568273
references.citation: Appl Neuropsychol Adult. 2014;21(2):143-7
references.pmid: 24826508
references.citation: J Am Coll Health. 2008 Mar-Apr;56(5):569-78
references.pmid: 18400671
references.citation: Clin EEG Neurosci. 2009 Jul;40(3):190-5
references.pmid: 19715182