Today’s women have surpassed many challenges to prove their mettle as competent professionals and home-makers. But, the multi-tasking nature of their lives makes them prone to health issues and complications.
Woman yoga helps them deal with these problems and maintain a healthy life. The article will cover various aspects of yoga for women from conception to menopause.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy yoga is a form of mind-body exercise that has become increasingly popular among pregnant women. It is believed to be associated with improved pregnancy outcomes, including gestational diabetes, hypertension and preeclampsia, as well as a reduction in the need for cesarean section (CS) and birth complications such as low birth weight and infant mortality.
To identify studies that evaluated the effects of pregnancy yoga, nine electronic databases were searched: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE, WHOLiS, ScieLo and ASSIA. Randomised controlled trials were included, along with non-randomised cohort and qualitative studies. The Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias Assessment Tool and GRADEpro were used to evaluate the quality of the evidence.
The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the frequency, intensity, time/duration and type (FITT) characteristics of pregnancy yoga with a range of outcome measures. The data were collected from a nationally-representative sample of women participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health over a 20-year period.
Motherhood
Motherhood is a time of intense change. It’s a time of joy and sorrow, comfort and fear, love and hate. It’s the ultimate roller coaster, and it requires a strong woman to keep up with all its demands.
A sequential mixed method design was used which included medical file audits gathering baseline demographic information; a record sheet of sessions attended; and pre- and post-session surveys as well as a brief interview. This small, self-selected sample made it difficult to generalise the findings.
However, the majority of participants found yoga highly acceptable and worthy of recommendation. This was especially evident given the high levels of psychosocial complexity experienced by the study participants. These issues included family and intimate partner violence, cultural and generational complexity, lack of support networks and the uncertainty surrounding first-time pregnancy. This combination resulted in considerable psychological distress for the majority of interview participants. The women found the yoga programme to be a useful tool for managing these concerns.
Menopause
In the menopausal stage, a woman experiences a dramatic drop in hormones. This can lead to hot flushes and mood problems. Fortunately, women can ease the symptoms through yoga.
One of the most beneficial poses for menopause is Utkatasana, a pose that strengthens pelvic floor muscles. It also improves posture and calms the mind, easing stress and anxiety.
Another helpful pose is Half Tortoise Pose, which can help to balance the levels of melatonin and serotonin. This can help to regulate the sleep-wake cycle and fight depression.
Restorative yoga can be a useful tool for managing menopausal symptoms, but it should be used as part of a wider self-care plan. For example, it cannot replace oestrogen replacement therapy and should be combined with nutritional advice, psychotherapy and other treatments.
Old Age
Yoga poses such as cat and cow pose can keep the backs of older women flexible, helping them to avoid stiffness. This can also help prevent osteoporosis.
Interviewees were adamant that if they wanted to maximise health benefits, they needed to prioritise yoga classes and attend regularly. However, this approach was time consuming and relied on participants having a flexible schedule and sufficient money to fund the costs of attending class.
Flow-restorative yoga is an evidence-based therapy to reduce pain interference, improve energy and social functioning in elderly adults. This pilot study provides essential data for a full-scale randomized controlled trial of this therapy. It is also an opportunity to explore the impact of a novel recruitment strategy on participant recruitment, retention and outcomes. All participating individuals volunteered to participate in this study and gave their written informed consent. The research has been approved by the local ethics committee. Participants will be offered the results of their blood and saliva tests at follow up.