Influence of Chair-based yoga on stress, mental and physical health in older adults: A systematic review

Abstract

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The aging process involves many changes that occur at the molecular and cellular levels, which leads to decrease in physical and mental activity, cognitive decline and psychological health problems which are the most frequently observed and under-treated issues among the elderly. Many studies have reported the effect of Yoga on cognitive and mental health parameters among the elderly. However, up to date, there is no systematic review done to evaluate the role of Chair based Yoga interventions on cognition, physical and mental health in the elderly.

OBJECTIVES: This review evaluates the beneficial effect of Chair Yoga in improving cognitive, physical and mental health in the elderly.

METHODOLOGY: A comprehensive search was performed on Medline, Google Scholar and PubMed electronic database from their inception to January 2019. The literature search was constructed around search term for “mental health”, “cognition”, “Chair yoga” and “elderly”. Out of 527 records, we have considered studies with Chair based Yoga interventions on the older people for this review. Risk of bias was assessed using Delphi list and PEDro criteria.

RESULTS: We have considered only 14 studies, after filtering out irrelevant studies which are included in this systematic review. Of 14 studies, three studies assessed only stress and four studies assessed only psychological parameters, and seven studies evaluated both along with neurodisability. Study quality was fair to moderate of included RCTs on the Delphi list and PEDro criteria. Maximum studied variables in stress levels were stress hormone, Cortisol, salivary biomarkers like salivary lysozyme, and IgA & salivary cortisol while in psychological parameters, mental health with depression, anxiety and mood and in neurodisability were Alzhimer’s disease, Osteoarthritis and dementia.  Chair- based Yoga interventions have some beneficial effects on stress, psychological parameters among cognitive variables, and depression among mental health parameters among the elderly.

CONCLUSION: The present review shows that Chair Yoga practice have some positive outcome in improving cognition, in combating stress and improving mental health in elderly. However, methodological limitations and small number of studies preclude confirming the potential benefits of Chair Yoga based interventions on cognition and mental & physical health among the elderly. Further, this review strongly recommends that more research avenues are available and with standard study methodology, use of validated modules of Chair Yoga intervention, and long term follow up to have definite conclusions.