title: Effects of yoga practice on stress-related symptoms in the aftermath of an earthquake: A community-based controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of an integrated hatha yoga practice on perceived stress and stress-related symptoms in the aftermath of an earthquake.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inhabitants, aged 20-67 years, from highly exposed earthquake areas of two villages in South Iceland were offered to participate in a yoga program subsequent to an earthquake. Sixty-six individuals were self-selected into the study and divided by residential convenience into an experimental group (n=31) and a waiting list control group (n=35).
  
  
  METHODS
  The yoga program was conducted twice a week for six weeks, in normal situations among the inhabitants in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Several validated questionnaires assessing stress and stress-related symptoms, posttraumatic symptoms, depression, anxiety and health related quality of life were administered at pre- and post-intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed differences between the experimental group and waiting list control group on sleep quality (p=.03) and social relations (p=.04). These differences did not prevail at Bonferroni correction for multiple testing (at alpha level of .005). Participants in both groups showed significant improvements in stress and some stress-related symptoms such as sleep, concentration, well-being, quality of life, depression and anxiety from pre- to post-intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data from this small study show no statistically significant improvement of an integrated hatha yoga program above and beyond waiting list control, following exposure to an earthquake. However, the observed trend toward improved sleep quality and social relations deserve further exploration in larger effectiveness studies on the impact of Hatha yoga on recovery after natural disaster.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Iceland. Electronic address: kolbrunt@mmedia.is.
authors.forename: Kolbrun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thordardottir
authors.affiliation: Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Iceland.
authors.forename: Ragnhildur
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gudmundsdottir
authors.affiliation: Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Iceland.
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zoëga
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Iceland; Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Iceland.
authors.forename: Unnur A
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Valdimarsdottir
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychologist Mental Health Services/National Trauma Center, National University Hospital of Iceland, Iceland; Faculty of Psychology, University of Iceland, Iceland.
authors.forename: Berglind
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gudmundsdottir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015013:Yoga; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Earthquake; Sleep; Social relations; Stress; Yoga