Chronically stressed participants
Conditions
Interventions
Group 1: Vinyasa Yoga: A dynamic yoga style combining flowing postures with synchronized breath and movement. Performed 3 times/week over 12 weeks in guided group sessions.
Group 2: Yin Yoga: A slow-p
thereafter the opportunity to participate in one of the interventions.
Sponsors
Medical University of Vienna - Center for Public Health - Department of Social and Preventive Medicine
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Only chronically stressed participants with a PSS-10 score of > 13 will be admitted to the study.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: We will screen for major psychiatric conditions and exclude individuals who report current manic or psychotic symptoms, active suicidality, major depressive disorder, social phobia, bipolar disorder, severe eating or substance use disorders, or those with a BMI over 30. Further exclusion criteria are: regular yoga practice, other mind-body practices, meditation, and engagement in mindfulness exercises (i.e., approximately once per week over the past six months), age 65, pregnancy or breastfeeding, inadequate German proficiency (<B2), and recent skull injuries. We will additionally control for (but not exclude participants with) self-reported or diagnosed somatic or psychological disorders known to affect the HPA axis, ANS, and/or the immune system.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1) Between-group differences in changes from baseline in 1) stress biomarkers (salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase) and 2) inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6, CRP from blood) from baseline to 12 weeks and 24 weeks after baseline assessment. 2) Self-reported stress: Between-group differences in self-reported levels of stress (both momentary - measured with a visual analogue scale - and chronic - measured with the 10-item version of the Perceived Stress Scale) 12 weeks and 24 weeks after baseline assessment relative to baseline. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1) Experimental stress induction: Between-group differences for sCort and sAA as well as differences in subjective momentary stress scores (VAS) and stress-related cognitive appraisal (PASA) during the TSST-G. 2) Sleep quality: Between-group differences in self-reported levels of fatigue, measured with the PSQI scale. 3) Fatigue: Between-group differences in self-reported levels of fatigue, measured with the MFI scale. 4) Perceived stress reactivity: Changes in PSRS score from baseline to 12 weeks and 24 weeks after baseline assessment relative to baseline. 5) Additional interleukins | — |
Countries
Austria
Contacts
Public ContactBence Szaszkó
Medical University of Vienna - Center for Public Health - Department of Social and Preventive Medicine
Outcome results
None listed