Great article on the New York Times about a study from Stanford showing that sleeping 10 hours a night improved the performance of athletes.
It's not just athletic performance that sleep improves--it's well-documented that sleep deprivation hurts work performance, emotional self-control, and even willpower.
The interesting thing about this study was how great everyone felt sleeping 10 hours a day. If you feel like you're not on top of your game, either at work, in relationships, or taking conscious control of your actions, consider resting rather than ramping up and working harder. A little laziness may refuel you!
Showing posts with label sleep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sleep. Show all posts
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
STUDY SUMMARY: Yoga of Awareness Program for Menopausal Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors
Source: Support Care Cancer. February 2009. [Epub ahead of print]
Authors: Carson JW, Carson KM, Porter LS, Keefe FJ, & Seewaldt VL.
Contact: James Carson, Department of Anesthesiology and Peri-operative Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, UHS, Portland, OR, 97239. carsonja@ohsu.edu.
Researchers were interested in whether yoga could benefit breast cancer survivors currently experiencing menopause-related hot flashes. 37 female breast cancer surviors (mean age 54.4 ± 7.5, mean time since diagnosis 4.9 ± 2.4 years) were randomly assigned to either an 8-week Yoga of Awareness program (weekly 2-hour group classes, with 5-10 students) or to a wait-list control group (which would receive the yoga program after the initial study period).
The Yoga of Awareness classes 40 min of gentle stretching poses, 10 min of breathing techniques, 25 min of meditation, and 45 min of group study and discussion of various topics (for example, the yoga philosophy idea of non-judgment acceptance, and how this could be applied to the experience of hot flashes). Classes were co-taught by a certified yoga teacher who holds a master’s degree in health behavior and education and a clinical health psychologist. Classes followed two types of posture sequences. The first was a mat-based sequence including warm-ups, child’s pose, table, a downward-facing dog flow, half moon, a warrior 1 flow, extended side angle, modified locust, supine squats, supine big toe, supine sage twist with bolster, and corpse pose. The second was a chair-based sequence including warm-ups, cat/cow, a spine twist flow, sun salutation, standing wide angle fold, standing wide angle fold with twist, prayer flow, seated wide angle fold, head to knee, pigeon, forward fold, modified sage twist, seal of yoga, and corpse pose. Participants were encouraged apply yoga ideas to everyday life and to practice yoga at home. They were given simple homework assignments, CDs, and illustrated guides to help them do so. On average, participants attended of six of the eight classes.
Researchers measured menopausal symptoms and minutes of yoga practice through daily telephone diaries. Participants completed two weeks of daily self-reports at three time points: before the intervention period, during the last two weeks of the intervention, and three months after the intervention. At the end of the intervention, the yoga group showed a significant reduction in both number and severity of hot flashes, whereas the control group showed no change. They also reported being less bothered by the hot flashes when they did occur, which reflects the yoga program’s emphasis on non-judgmental awareness and acceptance. The yoga group showed significant improvements (compared to the control group) in daily joint pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and energy. These improvements were maintained at the 3-month follow-up, and the yoga group showed additional improvements in mood, relaxation, and acceptance. Many of these improvements were positively related to number of minutes spent practicing yoga each day.
This study provides encouraging evidence that yoga benefits cancer survivors and women going through menopause. Of particular note is the program’s emphasis on developing a yogic attitude toward physical symptoms and stressful life events, which received as much time as asana practice. This type of yoga program is a good model for the type of interventions many in the yoga community would like to see in both research and healthcare practice.
This research summary was orginally prepared for the International Association of Yoga Therapists. IAYT is a professional organization for yoga therapists, yoga teachers, researchers, and healthcare professionals who use yoga in their practice.
Authors: Carson JW, Carson KM, Porter LS, Keefe FJ, & Seewaldt VL.
Contact: James Carson, Department of Anesthesiology and Peri-operative Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, UHS, Portland, OR, 97239. carsonja@ohsu.edu.
Researchers were interested in whether yoga could benefit breast cancer survivors currently experiencing menopause-related hot flashes. 37 female breast cancer surviors (mean age 54.4 ± 7.5, mean time since diagnosis 4.9 ± 2.4 years) were randomly assigned to either an 8-week Yoga of Awareness program (weekly 2-hour group classes, with 5-10 students) or to a wait-list control group (which would receive the yoga program after the initial study period).
The Yoga of Awareness classes 40 min of gentle stretching poses, 10 min of breathing techniques, 25 min of meditation, and 45 min of group study and discussion of various topics (for example, the yoga philosophy idea of non-judgment acceptance, and how this could be applied to the experience of hot flashes). Classes were co-taught by a certified yoga teacher who holds a master’s degree in health behavior and education and a clinical health psychologist. Classes followed two types of posture sequences. The first was a mat-based sequence including warm-ups, child’s pose, table, a downward-facing dog flow, half moon, a warrior 1 flow, extended side angle, modified locust, supine squats, supine big toe, supine sage twist with bolster, and corpse pose. The second was a chair-based sequence including warm-ups, cat/cow, a spine twist flow, sun salutation, standing wide angle fold, standing wide angle fold with twist, prayer flow, seated wide angle fold, head to knee, pigeon, forward fold, modified sage twist, seal of yoga, and corpse pose. Participants were encouraged apply yoga ideas to everyday life and to practice yoga at home. They were given simple homework assignments, CDs, and illustrated guides to help them do so. On average, participants attended of six of the eight classes.
Researchers measured menopausal symptoms and minutes of yoga practice through daily telephone diaries. Participants completed two weeks of daily self-reports at three time points: before the intervention period, during the last two weeks of the intervention, and three months after the intervention. At the end of the intervention, the yoga group showed a significant reduction in both number and severity of hot flashes, whereas the control group showed no change. They also reported being less bothered by the hot flashes when they did occur, which reflects the yoga program’s emphasis on non-judgmental awareness and acceptance. The yoga group showed significant improvements (compared to the control group) in daily joint pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and energy. These improvements were maintained at the 3-month follow-up, and the yoga group showed additional improvements in mood, relaxation, and acceptance. Many of these improvements were positively related to number of minutes spent practicing yoga each day.
This study provides encouraging evidence that yoga benefits cancer survivors and women going through menopause. Of particular note is the program’s emphasis on developing a yogic attitude toward physical symptoms and stressful life events, which received as much time as asana practice. This type of yoga program is a good model for the type of interventions many in the yoga community would like to see in both research and healthcare practice.
This research summary was orginally prepared for the International Association of Yoga Therapists. IAYT is a professional organization for yoga therapists, yoga teachers, researchers, and healthcare professionals who use yoga in their practice.
STUDY SUMMARY: Restorative Yoga for Women with Breast Cancer
Source: Psycho-oncology, 18(4): 360-368. April 2009.
Authors: Danhauer SC, Mihalko SL, Russell GB, Campbell CR, Felder L, Daley K, & Levine EA.
Contact: Suzanne C. Danhauer, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157-1082. danhauer@wfubmc.edu.
This study examined the effects of group restorative yoga classes on emotional and physical well-being in women with breast cancer.
44 women with breast cancer (34% still undergoing cancer treatment; mean age of 55.8 ± 9.9 years) were randomly assigned to either the yoga program or a wait-list control group. After the initial 10-week study period, the control group was offered the full yoga program.
The yoga program consisted of 10 weekly 75-minute restorative yoga classes at a local studio, with class size ranging from 3-12 students. The instructor was registered with the Yoga Alliance, had cancer-specific yoga training, and was a cancer survivor.
The classes included asanas (held from 20 seconds to 5 minutes, depending on the pose), pranayama, and deep relaxation in savasana. The principle of ahimsa (non-violence) was emphasized throughout the practice, and participants were encouraged to take care of themselves and modify poses based on their own needs. Most poses could be practiced either in a chair or on a yoga mat, and the teacher offered props to help students become more comfortable. In each pose, the teacher reminded students to breathe.
The researchers provided the following list of practices and postures that were practiced in every class:
(1) centering and meditation (conscious, deep breathing, mental inventory of body, energy, thoughts, and emotions)(15 minutes)
(2) neck and shoulder series (move neck through range of motion, turning head side to
side, dropping ear to shoulder, chin to chest and eyes toward ceiling, roll shoulders forward and back, then squeeze shoulders to ears and release)(5 minutes)
(3) leg stretch (janu sirsasana variation) using a strap and circling ankles slowly in both directions (5 minutes)
(4) side bend (seated parighasana) (2 minutes)
(5) seated twist (ardha matsyandrasana variation) (2 minutes)
(6) simple supported backbend (1–5 minutes)
(7) transition(resting pose to shift into another posture)
(8) legs up the wall (viparita karani or variation) (5 minutes)
(9) supported bound-angle pose (supta badha konasana variation) (5 minutes).
The following poses were in some but not all practices:
(1) mountain pose (tadasana)
(2) arm and shoulder stretch
(3) supported forward fold
(4) seated sun salutation (surya namaskar variation)
(5) reclining twist with a bolster
Researchers measured the following self-reported dimensions of well-being both before and after the 10-week study period: physical well-being, social/family well-being, mental/emotional well-being (including symptoms of depression), functional well-being, spiritual well-being, and other outcomes particularly relevant to cancer concerns, including sleep and fatigue.
Yoga participants, compared to control participants, reported better mental/emotional well-being, physical well-being, spritual well-being, sleep, and energy. The improvement in emotional well-being was strongest for women who entered with higher levels of negative emotions or depression, and the improvement in sleep quality was strongest for women who began the study with more sleep problems. Women attended an average of 5.8 out of the 10 classes (s.d. = 3.4). For both physical and functional well-being, number of classes attended predicted improvement. Participants reported that they enjoyed the classes, and no adverse events were reported.
This study demonstrated some of the most comprehensive benefits of yoga for cancer patients and survivors. Previous studies (by different research groups) have demonstrated benefits for sleep, energy, cancer symptoms, emotional well-being, and social well-being, but none have demonstrated such global positive outcomes. This study should be considered encouraging evidence supporting the use of yoga to support women with breast cancer. In addition, the researchers should be thanked and commended for providing such a detailed description of the yoga classes, allowing other researchers and yoga teachers to replicate or build on their program.
This research summary was orginally prepared for the International Association of Yoga Therapists. IAYT is a professional organization for yoga therapists, yoga teachers, researchers, and healthcare professionals who use yoga in their practice.
Authors: Danhauer SC, Mihalko SL, Russell GB, Campbell CR, Felder L, Daley K, & Levine EA.
Contact: Suzanne C. Danhauer, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157-1082. danhauer@wfubmc.edu.
This study examined the effects of group restorative yoga classes on emotional and physical well-being in women with breast cancer.
44 women with breast cancer (34% still undergoing cancer treatment; mean age of 55.8 ± 9.9 years) were randomly assigned to either the yoga program or a wait-list control group. After the initial 10-week study period, the control group was offered the full yoga program.
The yoga program consisted of 10 weekly 75-minute restorative yoga classes at a local studio, with class size ranging from 3-12 students. The instructor was registered with the Yoga Alliance, had cancer-specific yoga training, and was a cancer survivor.
The classes included asanas (held from 20 seconds to 5 minutes, depending on the pose), pranayama, and deep relaxation in savasana. The principle of ahimsa (non-violence) was emphasized throughout the practice, and participants were encouraged to take care of themselves and modify poses based on their own needs. Most poses could be practiced either in a chair or on a yoga mat, and the teacher offered props to help students become more comfortable. In each pose, the teacher reminded students to breathe.
The researchers provided the following list of practices and postures that were practiced in every class:
(1) centering and meditation (conscious, deep breathing, mental inventory of body, energy, thoughts, and emotions)(15 minutes)
(2) neck and shoulder series (move neck through range of motion, turning head side to
side, dropping ear to shoulder, chin to chest and eyes toward ceiling, roll shoulders forward and back, then squeeze shoulders to ears and release)(5 minutes)
(3) leg stretch (janu sirsasana variation) using a strap and circling ankles slowly in both directions (5 minutes)
(4) side bend (seated parighasana) (2 minutes)
(5) seated twist (ardha matsyandrasana variation) (2 minutes)
(6) simple supported backbend (1–5 minutes)
(7) transition(resting pose to shift into another posture)
(8) legs up the wall (viparita karani or variation) (5 minutes)
(9) supported bound-angle pose (supta badha konasana variation) (5 minutes).
The following poses were in some but not all practices:
(1) mountain pose (tadasana)
(2) arm and shoulder stretch
(3) supported forward fold
(4) seated sun salutation (surya namaskar variation)
(5) reclining twist with a bolster
Researchers measured the following self-reported dimensions of well-being both before and after the 10-week study period: physical well-being, social/family well-being, mental/emotional well-being (including symptoms of depression), functional well-being, spiritual well-being, and other outcomes particularly relevant to cancer concerns, including sleep and fatigue.
Yoga participants, compared to control participants, reported better mental/emotional well-being, physical well-being, spritual well-being, sleep, and energy. The improvement in emotional well-being was strongest for women who entered with higher levels of negative emotions or depression, and the improvement in sleep quality was strongest for women who began the study with more sleep problems. Women attended an average of 5.8 out of the 10 classes (s.d. = 3.4). For both physical and functional well-being, number of classes attended predicted improvement. Participants reported that they enjoyed the classes, and no adverse events were reported.
This study demonstrated some of the most comprehensive benefits of yoga for cancer patients and survivors. Previous studies (by different research groups) have demonstrated benefits for sleep, energy, cancer symptoms, emotional well-being, and social well-being, but none have demonstrated such global positive outcomes. This study should be considered encouraging evidence supporting the use of yoga to support women with breast cancer. In addition, the researchers should be thanked and commended for providing such a detailed description of the yoga classes, allowing other researchers and yoga teachers to replicate or build on their program.
This research summary was orginally prepared for the International Association of Yoga Therapists. IAYT is a professional organization for yoga therapists, yoga teachers, researchers, and healthcare professionals who use yoga in their practice.
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