Hatha Yoga practice decreases menopause symptoms and improves quality of life: A randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
Yoga practice includes a group of specific psychophysical techniques. Although previous studies showed beneficial effects of yoga for health and rehabilitation, improving quality of life, there are few studies on the possible therapeutic application of yoga during the climacteric period. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychophysiological effects of Hatha Yoga regular practice in post-menopausal women.


METHODS
Eighty-eight post-menopausal women volunteered for this 12-week trial. They were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control (no intervention), exercise, and yoga. Questionnaires were applied in order to evaluate climacteric syndrome (Menopause Rating Scale), stress (Lipp Stress Symptom Inventory), quality of life (Brief World Health Organization Quality of Life), depression (Beck Depression Inventory) and anxiety (State/Trait Anxiety Inventories). Physiological changes were evaluated through hormone levels (cortisol, FSH, LH, progesterone and estradiol).


RESULTS
At 12 weeks, yoga practitioners showed statistically lower scores for menopausal symptoms, stress levels and depression symptoms, as well as significantly higher scores in quality of life when compared to control and exercise groups. Only control group presented a significant increase in cortisol levels. The yoga and exercise groups showed decreased levels of FSH and LH when compared to control group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that yoga promotes positive psychophysiological changes in post-menopausal women and may be applied as a complementary therapy towards this population.
Federal University of Rio Grande of Norte, Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: mahalagu@gmail.com.
Márcia P
MP
Jorge
Sports Center of the University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: danyoga@gmail.com.
Danilo F
DF
Santaella
Federal University of Rio Grande of Norte, Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: bellapontes@gmail.com.
Isabella M O
IM
Pontes
Federal University of Rio Grande of Norte, Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: victorshiramizu@gmail.com.
Victor K M
VK
Shiramizu
Federal University of Rio Grande of Norte, Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: izaquen@yahoo.com.br.
Ezequiel B
EB
Nascimento
Federal University of Rio Grande of Norte, Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: aliciacabral27@gmail.com.
Alícia
A
Cabral
Federal University of Rio Grande of Norte, Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: telmaml@yahoo.com.br.
Telma M A M
TM
Lemos
Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: reginasilva@gmail.com.
Regina H
RH
Silva
Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: alemrib@gmail.com.
Alessandra M
AM
Ribeiro
D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015013:Yoga
D006854:Hydrocortisone
Aging; Mental health; Mind-body therapy; Physical activity