健康生活學
瑜伽6大好處你要知!經研究證實能減壓抗焦慮、紓緩腰背痛
2022/05/30
瑜伽(Yoga)是現今最受歡迎的運動之一,不少上班族都會做瑜伽放鬆一下筋骨。瑜伽是起源於印度的一種古老修煉方法,結合多種姿勢、呼吸法和冥想以達到身心合一。練習瑜伽除了能增加身體的力量、柔韌度和平衡感,塑造更優美的體態,其實還對身心有莫大益處。以下6個瑜伽好處,各位絕對要了解一下!
1. 減壓抗焦慮
皮質醇被稱為「壓力荷爾蒙」,研究證實,練習瑜伽至少 3 個月有助降低皮質醇水平、紓解壓力。1 另一項研究亦發現,瑜伽比步行更能改善情緒和焦慮水平。其中,睡眠瑜伽(Yoga Nidra)和哈達瑜珈(Hatha Yoga)的抗焦慮效果較顯著。 2,3
2. 改善抑鬱症
瑜伽能減輕抑鬱症的症狀,可以作為藥物和談話治療以外的輔助療法。4 研究發現,參加者完成兩個月的瑜伽「淨化呼吸法」(Sudarshan Kriya)後,皮質醇分泌降低,抑鬱症狀亦有所減輕。 5
3. 預防心臟病
研究發現,瑜伽可以降低體重指標 (BMI)、膽固醇水平和血壓,配合帶氧運動的效果更是加倍,從而減低患上心血管疾病的風險。6 高溫瑜伽亦證實能改善血管健康,促進血液循環。 7
4. 紓緩腰背痛
不少人都受腰背痛問題困擾,瑜伽可能是其中一種緩解方法。研究顯示練習瑜伽可以紓緩腰痛,減少患者使用止痛藥的次數,緩解背痛的效果亦媲美物理治療。 8,9
5. 改善睡眠
瑜伽可以平復情緒、紓緩壓力及刺激褪黑激素的分泌,已被證實可以提高入睡速度和睡眠質素,當中又以睡眠瑜伽(Yoga Nidra)最有效。研究亦指出瑜伽和冥想、太極和氣功一樣能改善失眠症狀。 10
6. 減少炎症
慢性炎症與不少疾病有關,例如心臟病、糖尿病和關節炎等。練習瑜伽則能減少引起炎症的促炎性細胞因子(Pro-inflammatory cytokines),預防由慢性炎症引起的疾病。 11
雖然瑜伽好處多多,但初學者應該在專業瑜伽導師的指導下練習,只跟隨網路教學可能會做錯姿勢或拉傷肌肉。練習瑜伽亦應循序漸進,不宜一開始就挑戰高難度的動作。
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參考資料:
- García-Sesnich JN et al. Longitudinal and Immediate Effect of Kundalini Yoga on Salivary Levels of Cortisol and Activity of Alpha-Amylase and Its Effect on Perceived Stress. Int J Yoga. 2017;10(2):73-80.
- Hofmann SG et al. Effect of Hatha Yoga on Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis. J Evid Based Med. 2016;9(3):116-124.
- Streeter, Chris C et al. Effects of yoga versus walking on mood, anxiety, and brain GABA levels: a randomized controlled MRS study. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) vol. 16,11 (2010): 1145-52.
- Bridges L, Sharma M. The Efficacy of Yoga as a Form of Treatment for Depression. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017;22(4):1017-1028.
- Sharma, Anup et al. A Breathing-Based Meditation Intervention for Patients With Major Depressive Disorder Following Inadequate Response to Antidepressants: A Randomized Pilot Study. The Journal of clinical psychiatry vol. 78,1 (2017): e59-e63.
- Chu P et al. The effectiveness of yoga in modifying risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. 2016;23(3):291-307.
- Hunter SD et al. Effects of yoga interventions practised in heated and thermoneutral conditions on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation: The Bikram yoga heart study. Exp Physiol. 2018 Mar 1;103(3):391-396.
- Groessl EJ et al. Yoga for Military Veterans with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Am J Prev Med. 2017 Nov;53(5):599-608.
- Saper RB et al. Yoga, Physical Therapy, or Education for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Noninferiority Trial. Ann Intern Med. 2017 Jul 18;167(2):85-94.
- Dolezal, Brett A et al. Interrelationship between Sleep and Exercise: A Systematic Review. Advances in preventive medicine vol. 2017 (2017): 1364387.
- Djalilova DM et al. Impact of Yoga on Inflammatory Biomarkers: A Systematic Review. Biol Res Nurs. 2019 Mar;21(2):198-209.
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