The Influence of Hatha Yoga, Age, and Gender on Cortisol Levels
Additional Funding Sources
The project described was supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Grant No. P20GM103408.
Abstract
Chronic stress, a ubiquitous factor in our modern society, has been shown to contribute to the development of many diseases. The hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis mediates physiological responses to chronic stress. It could prove beneficial if mindfulness relaxation practices, like Hatha yoga, could dampen the activity of the HPA axis and thus decrease stress-related diseases. Our study investigated the effect of yoga on HPA axis activity. Thirty-eight participants engaged in an hour of Hatha yoga and donated a saliva sample before and after the session. The physiological stress response and activity of the HPA axis were measured by assaying salivary cortisol levels. Cortisol levels before the yoga session were higher than cortisol levels after the yoga session. There was no significant effect of age or gender on cortisol levels. Our study suggests that Hatha yoga does dampen the endocrine stress response and may offer the practitioner health benefits associated with lessened stress.
The Influence of Hatha Yoga, Age, and Gender on Cortisol Levels
Chronic stress, a ubiquitous factor in our modern society, has been shown to contribute to the development of many diseases. The hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis mediates physiological responses to chronic stress. It could prove beneficial if mindfulness relaxation practices, like Hatha yoga, could dampen the activity of the HPA axis and thus decrease stress-related diseases. Our study investigated the effect of yoga on HPA axis activity. Thirty-eight participants engaged in an hour of Hatha yoga and donated a saliva sample before and after the session. The physiological stress response and activity of the HPA axis were measured by assaying salivary cortisol levels. Cortisol levels before the yoga session were higher than cortisol levels after the yoga session. There was no significant effect of age or gender on cortisol levels. Our study suggests that Hatha yoga does dampen the endocrine stress response and may offer the practitioner health benefits associated with lessened stress.
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