- Researchers say yoga may help people with epilepsy reduce the frequency of seizures.
- They add that yoga may also help people deal with the stigma sometimes associated with epilepsy.
- Experts say the study adds to wealth of evidence that mind-body work has physical benefits as well as stress relief.
Some “downward dog” could be man’s (and woman’s) best friend when it comes to managing epilepsy.
A new study reports that doing yoga may help reduce seizure frequency, anxiety, and feelings of stigma that frequently comes with having epilepsy.
The research was published today in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
“People with epilepsy often face stigma that can cause them to feel different than others due to their own health condition and that can have a significant impact on their quality of life,” said Dr. Manjari Tripathi, a study author and neurologist with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, in a statement. “This stigma can affect a person’s life in many ways including treatment, emergency department visits, and poor mental health. Our study showed that doing yoga can alleviate the burden of epilepsy and improve the overall quality of life by reducing this perceived stigma.”
Researchers looked at people with epilepsy with an average age of 30 in India.
They measured stigma based on participants’ answers to questions about being discriminated against, feeling different from other people, and whether they feel they contribute to society.
The scientists then identified 160 people meeting the criteria for experiencing stigma. Participants averaged one seizure per week and, on average, took at least two anti-seizure medications.
The team then randomly selected subjects to receive yoga therapy or sham yoga therapy.
Yoga therapy included exercises in loosening muscles, breathing, meditation and positive affirmations.
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