Role of yoga intervention on quality of life and prehypertension

In developing countries like India, hypertension poses a major problem. Rise in blood pressure for a prolonged period above the normal range is labeled as hypertension and this is usually preceded by prehypertension. Yogic exercises done on regular basis can have beneficial effects on hypertension. The aim of present study was to evaluate the effects of yogic exercises in controlling blood pressure in pre-hypertensive. Security personnel were screened for hypertension and the subjects with pre-hypertension were selected for study. subjects with pre-hypertension were divided into control and intervention group by using simple random sampling method. Intervention group were trained for yoga and both the groups were followed up to check blood pressure every 3 months. The study observed a decrease in weight and blood pressure of intervention group as compared to the control group but it was not statistically significant. The intervention group showed significant improvement in self rated quality of life compared to the control group. Yogasanas and meditation seems to have an antihypertensive effect and a positive effect on self rated quality of lifeby intervention group as compared to the control group. This proves that simple yogasanas and meditation could be useful to improve the quality of life and control blood pressure in subjects with pre-hypertension.