News — Sean Mullen desires increased adult participation in the yoga flow.
Mullen, an assistant professor in the Kinesiology and Community Health Department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, partnered with Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology colleagues Madhura Phansikar, Neha Gothe, and Rosalba Hernandez to create an eight-week virtual yoga program of moderate intensity tailored for working adults with stress symptoms.
Published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, the study involved guiding volunteers through three self-paced remote workout sessions per week, while evaluating their executive functioning and stress/anxiety levels. The findings demonstrated a reduction in both stress and anxiety among the participants.
Mullen explained, "Previous studies have compared yoga to aerobic exercise and shown that aerobic exercise has brain benefits. Our study focuses on more intricate movements, involving multi-planar motion that requires a different spatial awareness, as well as attentiveness to technique and breathing, beyond simply walking or cycling in a straight line."
Introducing the sun salutation, a sequence of yoga postures that mimics the movements of the sun as it rises and sets.
Participants were guided through the sun salutation sequence with self-paced instructional videos that allowed them to practice in the comfort of their own homes. Over time, they were motivated to become more self-reliant by performing the exercises on their own.
Mullen stated, "Our approach is to boost the confidence of every individual participating in the exercise. We initiate at a slower pace and gradually advance."
The researchers aimed to explore if acquiring new chains of yoga sequences could enhance working memory, akin to the cognitive advantages of learning a new dance.
Mullen remarked, "Performing numerous dynamic postures, as opposed to holding static positions, may enhance attentional capabilities or inhibition control. Completing the flow could also potentially enhance spatial memory."
The researchers stated that the advantages to executive functioning observed in their study are supported by existing literature.
In addition to examining the effects of the virtual yoga program on executive functioning, the study sought to explore participants' adherence to remote exercise. Coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, the study's timing provided supplementary insights.
Mullen added, "The findings, showcasing a decrease in anxiety and an enhancement in short-term working memory, indicate that practicing moderate-intensity yoga at home is feasible and provides stress-reducing and anxiety-relieving benefits while ensuring safety. Ultimately, the study's aim was to promote resilience during challenging times."
Another promising result was the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from the participants.
Mullen expressed, "When participants are enthusiastic to recommend the program to their loved ones, it's fantastic. This implies to me that we were successful and that everyone had a positive experience."
Mullen's lab plans to conduct further research on mind-body interventions and encourage exercise adherence by creating more technologies that gamify activities such as yoga, kickboxing, and other movement practices that are more mentally stimulating than traditional aerobic exercise. Mullen's personal experience with flow-based training in spinning poi and martial arts such as Filipino Kali and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu inspires their interventions.
Mullen emphasized, "We prioritize making our programs enjoyable, intriguing, and diverse, while also striving to be inclusive. We customize our programming to enable a wider audience to benefit, including older adults or individuals with mobility restrictions."
During the research, Phansikar was a doctoral student and also actively participated in Mallakhamba, an aerial yoga sport, at the national level. Therefore, she was particularly delighted with the results of the study.
Phansikar expressed her excitement by saying, "As a yoga practitioner and teacher, it was thrilling to examine the effectiveness of yoga interventions in promoting cognitive and psychological well-being."
Phansikar's primary research focus is on exploring the neurological impacts of mind-body interventions such as yoga. She intends to continue creating scalable programs that can benefit large groups of people.
The Beckman Institute has been promoting and acknowledging the benefits of wellness programs like yoga for a long time. Those interested in trying yoga can join the free Yoga at Beckman program, which offers instruction every Wednesday at noon in the fifth-floor tower room. People of all backgrounds are welcome to attend, and participants are requested to bring their own yoga mat.
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