Autonomic recovery following submaximal exercise in yoga practitioners versus aerobic and strength-trained individuals

Background: Rapid autonomic recovery after physical stress is a hallmark of cardiovascular health. While both yoga and conventional exercise modulate autonomic function, direct comparisons of their effect on post-exercise recovery are scarce. This study compared autonomic recovery in yoga practitioners versus those in aerobic or resistance training. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 51 healthy adults (18-35 years) in three long-term training groups: Yoga (n = 17), Aerobic (n = 17), and Resistance (n = 17). Participants performed a 5-minute submaximal Harvard step test. Heart rate variability (HRV) was analyzed from electrocardiograms recorded at baseline and during a 10-minute post-exercise recovery. Results: After adjusting for baseline differences, the Yoga group showed a more efficient autonomic recovery profile. ANCOVA revealed a significant group effect on vagal reactivation, as measured by High-Frequency (HF) power (p = 0.001). Post-hoc tests confirmed that the Yoga group’s recovery was significantly greater than that of the Aerobic and Resistance groups. Similar significant effects favouring Yoga were found for pNN50, SDNN, LF power, and total power (all p < 0.05). No significant group differences were observed for pulse rate, blood pressure, or RMSSD recovery. Conclusion: Regular yoga practice is associated with more efficient parasympathetic reactivation after physical exertion. This suggests yoga’s integrative nature is associated with unique advantages for autonomic strength compared to conventional aerobic and strength training.