For people with epilepsy, practicing yoga may not only reduce stigma about the condition, but also decrease seizure frequency and anxiety, reports a recent study published in the journal Neurology. Neurology.
“People with epilepsy often face stigma that makes them feel different because of their health condition, which can have a significant impact on their quality of life,” said study author Manjari Tripathi, MD, of the Pan-India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. “This stigma impacts people’s lives in many ways, including treatment, emergency department visits, and poor mental health. Our study has shown that practicing yoga reduces the burden of epilepsy, and reducing this stigma improves overall quality of life.”
the study
The study involved 160 people with epilepsy, with an average age of 30. Participants experienced an average of one seizure per week and were taking at least two anti-epileptic medications. Participants were asked a range of questions about how they felt about their illness to measure illness stigma. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a yoga therapy group or a mock yoga group as a control. Each group received seven supervised group sessions lasting 45 minutes to an hour over a three-month period, and were asked to complete at least five 30-minute sessions at home per week. Participants recorded their yoga sessions and seizures in a diary throughout the study and were followed up for another three months after the three-month period.
Participants in the yoga therapy group were instructed in muscle relaxation, breathing, meditation and positive affirmation exercises.Participants in the sham yoga control group were instructed in exercises that mimicked the same yoga practices but were not instructed in two key components of yoga thought to elicit a relaxation response: slow, synchronized breathing and paying attention to the body’s movements and sensations while practicing.
Investigation result
Compared with the control group, people in the treatment group were more likely to reduce feelings of stigma about the illness: The treatment group’s average score was 7 at the start of the study and 6 at the end, while the control group’s average score was 6, 6 at the start of the study and 7 at the end.
They found that people in the treatment group were more than four times more likely than people in the control group to have a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency after six months. They also found that people in the treatment group were more than seven times more likely than people in the control group to be seizure-free.
Additionally, participants in the treatment group reported greater reductions in anxiety symptoms and improvements in quality of life measures and mindfulness compared to participants in the control group.
“These findings reinforce the need to consider alternative therapies and activities for people with epilepsy who face stigma,” Tripathi said. “Yoga has the potential to not only reduce stigma but also improve quality of life and mindfulness. Additionally, yoga can be easily pre-recorded and shared with patients online with minimal resources and cost.”