Impact of yoga and healthful lifestyle

In 2016, researchers published results of the Lifestyle Modification and Blood Pressure Study (LIMBS).

This was one of only a few randomized controlled trials to investigate whether yoga can reduce high blood pressure. Specifically, the study compared the effects of practicing Hatha yoga for 12 weeks with more standard approaches.

Researchers randomly divided the participants into the following groups:

Yoga: This group contained 43 people. They attended two 90-minute yoga classes each week for 12 weeks. Gradually, they also began to practice yoga at home, guided by DVD instruction.

Healthful living: This group contained 48 people. They followed a health education and walking program. It included classes in nutrition and motivational guidance, and participants gradually worked up to 180 minutes of walking per week.

Yoga and healthful living: This group contained 46 people. They attended the yoga classes and the health education and walking program, but they could opt out of home yoga.

The researchers concluded that all three approaches reduced resting blood pressure. In every participant, readings were lower at 12 weeks and 24 weeks than they had been at the start of the study.

At 12 weeks, the reduction in blood pressure was more significant in the group that did only yoga, compared to the group that followed the education and walking program.

Overall, drops in blood pressure were small, but even small reductions can benefit hea