Effect of Asanas and Pranayama (Yoga) on Happiness and Mental Health of Homemakers: A Causal-comparative Study with Advanced Statistical Analysis
Lara Sharma, Deep Chand Panwar, Bhavit Bansal
SBV Journal of Basic, Clinical and Applied Health Science April 1, 2026 DOI: 10.4103/sbvj.sbvj_87_26 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Ex post facto (causal-comparative) research design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | Homemakers aged 25-55 years from Shastri Nagar, Ajmer |
| Interventions | Asanas Pranayama |
| Measures | Mental Health Inventory (Pramod Kumar, 1991), Happiness Scale (Santosh Verma and Amita Verma, 1989) |
| Topics | Breathwork |
| Key points | Yoga practitioners showed significantly higher happiness scores than nonpractitioners (M=14.53 vs 9.83, Cohen's d=1.06), but mental health scores did not differ significantly (M=21.92 vs 21.08). The authors conclude that Asanas and Pranayama enhance subjective happiness but not overall mental health. |
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Yoga, rooted in the spiritual discipline of ancient Indian sages, has been widely adopted as a means to promote psychological well-being in modern times. Despite growing interest, rigorous scientific evaluation of the specific effects of Asanas (postures) and Pranayama (breathing techniques) on the psychological health of homemakers remains limited.
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of regular practice of Asanas and Pranayama on self-reported happiness and mental health among homemakers, and to quantify the magnitude of these effects using advanced statistical methods.
Materials and Methods: An ex post facto (causal-comparative) research design was employed. Twenty-four homemakers aged 25–55 years from Shastri Nagar, Ajmer, were recruited and allocated into two groups: yoga practitioners ( n = 12) and nonpractitioners ( n = 12). Psychological outcomes were assessed using the Mental Health Inventory (Pramod Kumar, 1991) and the Happiness Scale (Santosh Verma and Amita Verma, 1989). Data were analyzed using independent samples t -tests, Cohen’s d effect sizes, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mean differences, and coefficient of variation analysis.
Results: Yoga practitioners demonstrated significantly higher happiness scores than nonpractitioners ( M = 14.53 ± 4.29 vs. M = 9.83 ± 4.58; t (22) = 2.418, P = 0.024, Cohen’s d = 1.06, 95% CI [0.94, 8.46]). No statistically significant difference was observed in mental health scores ( M = 21.92 ± 4.68 vs. M = 21.08 ± 8.20; t (22) = 0.306, P = 0.763, Cohen’s d = 0.13, 95% CI [−4.81, 6.49]).
Conclusion: The practice of Asanas and Pranayama produces a large, statistically significant enhancement in subjective happiness among homemakers but does not independently yield meaningful improvement in overall mental health. These findings suggest that comprehensive psychological well-being may necessitate the integration of additional yogic practices, particularly meditation (Dhyana), alongside physical postures and breathing exercises.