The benefits of yoga in children.
Chandra Nanthakumar
Journal of integrative medicine 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2017.12.008 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstractAbstract
The number of children suffering from stress and anxiety in Malaysia is on the rise. Evidence shows that mind-body therapies such as mindfulness therapy, meditation and yoga have been practiced in many other countries to reduce and/or manage the psychological effects of stress and anxiety. This review article looks at the intervention of yoga as a meditative movement practice in helping school children manage stress and anxiety. Articles were retrieved using a combination of databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. Not only peer-reviewed articles, but also those written in English language were included in this review. All studies reviewed had incorporated some form of meditative movement exercise. The intervention encompassed asanas (postures), pranayama (expansion of life force), dharana (concentration) and dhyana (meditation), which are the different paths in yoga. A total of eight articles met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. The findings of this review reveal that the practice of yoga has brought about, among other things, improvement in managing and reducing stress and anxiety. Despite the limitations in most, if not all of the studies reviewed, in terms of heterogeneity and sample size, yoga appears to be an effective modality for helping children cope with stress and anxiety. It appears that if schools in Malaysia can incorporate yoga as part of the physical education curriculum, it will definitely benefit the students.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review General (healthcare, schools, workplace) | 2021 | Review | |
| A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders | 2017 | Review and consensus statement | |
| Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II—Clinical Applications and Guidelines | 2005 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Meditation and Psychopathology | 2018 | Review | |
| Management of Treatment-Resistant Depression: Challenges and Strategies | 2020 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools: the impact of yoga on young people's relaxation and stress levels Frontiers in Psychology May 17, 2023
- Lace Up and Mindfulness: A Randomized Controlled Trial Intervention to Reduce Emotional Eating, Anxiety, and Sleep Disturbances in Latinx and Black Youth. Children (Basel, Switzerland) March 10, 2023
- Stimulated brains and meditative minds: A systematic review on combining low intensity transcranial electrical stimulation and meditation in humans. International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP February 3, 2023
- School-Based meditation in adolescents: an integrative literature review International journal of adolescent medicine and health January 20, 2023