Yoga for hypertension
Yoga brings balance and well being to an individual’s physical spiritual and emotional worlds. Although yoga has been around for 3500-5000 years, the benefits it provides in many diseases have been scientifically proven since the last 50 years. Amongst them are cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, which are on the rise due to today’s dietary habits and stressful and sedentary life styles. Unfortunately, mainstream medicine cannot be 100% successful in the treatment of these diseases.
Yoga can help as an add-on in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Practice yoga;
- Reduces heart rate and blood pressure by decreasing sympathetic nervous system predominance
- Increases parasympathetic nervous system and vagus effects, decreasing heart rate and blood pressure.
- Increases brain GABA levels
- Increases heart rate variability
- Lowers blood levels of angiotensin II
- Reduces the levels of cortisol and epinephrine by modifying the impairments of the HPA axis to normal
- Breaks the spiral of chronic stress response by reducing anxiety and depression findings
- Reduces total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels.
- Increases exercise capacity
- Increases baroreflex sensitivity
Patients who practice yoga show:
- A decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressures
- An increase in heart rate variability
- An increase in well being
- An increase in affection
- An increase in a hopeful future
Decreased blood pressure and decreased sympathetic pressure reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and renal failure in the long term.
Yoga also improves patients’ sense of flexibility and balance, enabling them to feel better in their lives and while carrying out daily tasks, making them more active.