What’s This Research About?
Asthma affects 300 million people globally and nearly 20 million people in America, costing them up to $12.7 billion a year. Beyond the financial costs and respiratory symptoms, asthma can take a toll on quality of life with psychological symptoms such as anxiety, and depression. With bad air quality increasing in many parts of the world there is a need to find as many possible options to help manage this condition.
The fact that yoga is popular, with as many as 55 million people practicing as of 2020, and often incorporates breathwork, makes it worthy of examining whether it can ameliorate asthma symptoms.
Early studies have theorized that a slower breath rate can help decrease irritation or frictional stress of the airways which can ease symptoms. There may also be a decrease in autonomic arousal created from the meditative and calming practice.
The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of yoga as an intervention for asthma by analyzing outcomes such as quality of life, medicine usage, general symptoms, and the number of attacks.
TITLE: Yoga for Asthma
PUBLICATION: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
DATE: 2019
AUTHORS: Yang ZY, Zhong HB, Mao C, Yuan JQ, Huang Y, Wu XY, Gao YM, Tang JL
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC): The total amount of air that can be expelled after a maximum inhalation.
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR): The amount and rate of air that can be breathed forcefully out of the lungs after a max inhalation. The test is indicative of airway narrowing so can be tested daily and warn of possible future attacks.
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