Influence of the regular yoga practice on the heart rate variability of the overweight individuals

Abstract

Purpose of the work was to investigate the influence of the regular Yoga practice to the heartrate variability of the persons with overweight. Materials and methods: 32 overweight previously nonyoga practitioners were investigated during 24 weeks since beginning of regular Yoga practice. Main anthropometric, hemodynamic and heart rate variability parameters were analyzed trice (Week 0, 12 and 24), and received data were compared with parameters of 16 normal weight persons. Heart rate variability investigation was provided on the cardiac monitor “Diacard" AO “Solveig" (Ukraine). Results: We found out the significant reduction of the time and spectrum heart rate variability parameters of parasympathetic heart function regulation in overweight subjects before beginning of the regular Yoga practice. Dynamic control discovered progressive positive influence of Yoga to autonomic cardiac regulation with significant growth of parasympathetic activity and normalization of sympathetic/ parasympathetic balance with strong tendency to decreasing of resting heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body weight, body mass index and waist circumference. Correlation analyze detected negative dependence between waist circumference and reduction of parasympathetic influence to the heart activity. Conclusions: The regular Yoga practice prominently improves the balance of autonomic regulation because of significant growth of parasympathetic influences and reduction of sympathetic stimulations of the heart function of overweight persons.