Yoga May Help Improve Symptoms For Heart Patients, Research Finds

While yoga can increase flexibility and build muscle, its benefits go beyond a traditional workout. The restorative exercise practice has been shown to decrease feelings of anxiety and depression, and according to new research, it may also improve symptoms for patients with heart disease. 

Atrial fibrillation is a common heart rhythm disorder, often referred to as AFib. So common, in fact, that one in four adults in the U.S. and Europe will develop the disease. The condition leads to strokes in about 20% to 30% of cases and increases the risk of death, according to a study in the European Heart Journal. 

Aside from the risk factors, symptoms of atrial fibrillation, such as heart palpitations, racing or irregular pulse, shortness of breath, tiredness, chest pain, and dizziness can be disruptive to daily life. "They come and go, causing many patients to feel anxious and limiting their ability to live a normal life," study author Naresh Sen, M.D., Ph.D., said in a news release. 

To study whether yoga was effective in managing symptoms of AFib, researchers looked at 538 patients between 2012 and 2017. Participants did not do any yoga for the first 12 weeks.

For the following 16 weeks, they practiced yoga, with both postures and breathing techniques, for 30 minutes every other day. On the days they didn't attend yoga class, the participants were encouraged to practice at home. 

To compare the two periods, participants kept diary logs tracking their AFib symptoms, received heart rate and blood pressure measurements, and completed surveys on their anxiety, depression, and mood levels. 

"Our study suggests that yoga has wide-ranging physical and mental health benefits for patients with atrial fibrillation and could be added on top of usual therapies," Sen says.