Yoga for Improving Mental Health during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review

Abstract

Review ARticle][12] Yoga is a nonpharmacological means to develop overall mental health by improving willpower, emotional control, and self-confidence and reducing perceived fatigue, stress, and lifestyle-related disorders due to stress such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, and many more through mantras, meditation, pranayama, and asanas. 13,14Mindfulness is a technique to purposely focus on the present moment which can be improved with the help of asanas, pranayamas, and meditation. 15,16Whereas, mantras are mindfulness chants that helps in improving resilience and in managing stress-related consequences such as insomnia, IntroductIonNovel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), a pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 that has spread globally emerged as a group of unexplained pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China in December, 2019. 1,2COVID-19 was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by WHO on 30 January 2020. 3ill date there are no specific drugs, treatment protocol, and vaccination for the coronavirus disease, and the treatment includes isolation and symptomatic management. 2 The preventive measures to stop the transmission of the disease are social distancing, frequent hand washing, and quarantine in some cases. 1,4Previous studies on SARS and Ebola outbreak in 2003 and 2014, respectively, reported the unfavorable psychological effects of quarantine like post-traumatic stress symptoms, confusion, and anger, and people with pre-existing anxiety and depression may show worse psychological symptoms due to quarantine and social distancing. 1 The easy access to different types of news, false claims, and misinformation propagated through print media, news channels, and social media on COVID-19 can enhance the aforementioned symptoms. 5,6Poor mental conditions such as depression and stress, also elevates the possibility of acute respiratory infections. 7ue to work from home, the electronic and distancing means of communication and the seating hours on screen has increased in several folds and the freedom of movement has been reduced considerably. 8Lockdown has affected the economy negatively and in a recent interview Nobel laureate Dr Abhijit Banerjee said that "COVID-19 pandemic is far from over and it is uncertain that how long the economy will take to recover". 9,10A great magnitude of joblessness and reduced income caused insecurity and uncertainty among people, collectively leading to loneliness; contamination fear; sleep disturbances; worry for loved ones; helplessness,