Acute Physiological and Emotional Responses to a Brief 24-Minute Yoga Session: Randomized Exploratory Pilot Study With Waitlist Comparison.
Ying Zhou, Ping Chen, Yuma Morisaki, Naoko Yamada, Risa Kuwahara, Atsuro Tsutsumi, Akihiro Nomura
JMIR Formative Research April 13, 2026 DOI: 10.2196/87077 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized waitlist-controlled exploratory pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 19 |
| Population | University-affiliated adults with self-reported daily stress and no prior guided yoga experience |
| Interventions | postures and meditation) quiet sitting |
| Duration | Single 24-minute session |
| Measures | Salivary cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase, heart rate (Apple Watch), real-time emotional indices (stress, calmness, concentration) via Kansei Analyzer single-channel EEG |
| Keywords | Humans Hydrocortisone Yoga Pilot projects Stress, psychological Emotions Heart rate Adult Middle aged Waiting lists Female Electroencephalography Salivary cortisol Wearables Wellness tourism Exploratory pilot study |
| Key points | A single 24-minute yoga session did not significantly change salivary cortisol or alpha-amylase at the group level compared with quiet sitting. The authors report that yoga increased heart rate during postures, with mild elevation persisting during meditation, and that exploratory EEG analyses suggested reduced stress and increased concentration in some participants, indicating marked individual variability. |
Abstract
Background: Wellness tourism increasingly incorporates short yoga sessions for stress management, yet evidence on their immediate physiological and emotional responses remains limited.
Objective: This exploratory pilot study aimed to generate preliminary data on acute physiological and emotional responses to a single 24-minute yoga session (breathing, postures, and meditation) compared with quiet sitting in novice practitioners.
Methods: In this single-center, randomized waitlist-controlled exploratory pilot study (1:1 allocation), 19 university-affiliated adults with self-reported daily stress and no prior guided yoga experience were allocated to an immediate 24-minute yoga session (n=10) or quiet sitting (n=9). The primary outcome was change in salivary cortisol from baseline to postintervention. Secondary outcomes included salivary alpha-amylase, heart rate (Apple Watch [Apple Inc], subset n=12), and real-time emotional indices (stress, calmness, and concentration) measured by a commercial single-channel electroencephalogram (EEG) device (Kansei Analyzer [Dentsu ScienceJAM], subset n=8). Data were analyzed using change scores relative to the breathing phase, with between-group comparison performed by independent t tests or multivariable linear regression adjusted for age, sex, and baseline values as appropriate.
Results: No significant between-group differences were observed for salivary cortisol or alpha-amylase. In the yoga group, heart rate increased during postures and remained mildly elevated during meditation relative to the breathing phase, consistent with mild physical exertion. Exploratory individual EEG analyses suggested reduced stress and increased concentration during breathing and meditation phases in some participants.
Conclusions: In this small exploratory pilot study, a single 24-minute yoga session did not significantly alter salivary stress biomarkers at the group level. However, it induced measurable cardiovascular activation and heterogeneous EEG-derived emotional responses. These hypothesis-generating findings demonstrate marked interindividual variability, suggesting the need for larger validation studies with improved control conditions.