The practice of yoga, in addition to treatment, improves the daily lives of people with heart failure. Above all, this allows them to have a healthier heart.
- Heart failure can have a strong impact on daily life.
- Researchers show that practicing yoga can benefit people with heart failure.
- This improves heart health, making it easier to do daily activities, such as walking.
Yoga is good for the heart. Indian researchers prove it in a study presented at the Congress Heart Failure of the European Society of Cardiology, in Lisbon. According to their work, the discipline strengthens the hearts of people with heart failure and this allows them to be more comfortable in certain daily activities.
Heart failure: a disease with daily impact
“Heart failure is the inability of the heart muscle to properly pump blood through the body.reminds Health Insurance on its site. It is a common, potentially severe disease, with a strong impact on quality of life if it is not detected in time and treated..” Even when the disease is treated, it has consequences on daily life: those affected must rigorously follow their treatment, monitor their weight, their diet and practice physical activity while avoiding overexertion. Some people can feeling fatigue, shortness of breath or having difficulty carrying out daily activities.
Understanding the Long-Term Effects of Yoga on Heart Failure
In this study, researchers from the Indian Council of Medical Research wanted to know if yoga could have an impact on these effects of heart failure. “While previous studies have shown the short-term benefits of yoga in patients with heart failure, this study provides new information on the long-term effects.specify the authors of this work, in a press release.
The researchers recruited 85 patients, aged 30 to 70 years old, with heart failure. All of these people were being treated for their heart failure and continued their treatment throughout the study. “In a non-randomized manner, 40 patients were assigned to the yoga group and 45 patients were assigned to the control group., indicate the Indian researchers. Experienced yoga teachers affiliated with Kastura Hospital, where the study took place, taught pranayama, also called yogic breathing, meditation and relaxation techniques to the patients. For one week, yoga sessions were supervised, and then patients were required to continue practicing for 50 minutes per week. An instructor spoke with them after each session to assess their progress.
Better heart health and better shape: the multiple benefits of yoga
At the start of the study, six months and one year later, examinations were performed to assess cardiac structure and function using echocardiography. The scientists also observed changes in blood pressure, heart rate, weight, body mass index, as well as changes in symptoms and the ability to perform daily activities. “Compared to the control group, the yoga group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in all measures at six months and one year compared to baseline., conclude the authors. Concretely, the patients felt better, could do more things and with a stronger heart, compared to those who did not practice yoga. “Patients who practiced yoga were better able to perform ordinary activities such as walking and climbing stairs than those who took medication alone.”, continues Dr Ajit Singh, lead author of the study. He recommends that people with heart failure consult their doctor before starting yoga, then train with a teacher.
