Objective: With the effect of the pandemic and a sedentary lifestyle, it is thought that physical health may be negatively affected. Moreover, individuals also experience negative feelings like stress and anxiety due to spending a long time at home, social isolation, changes in daily routines and constant exposure to news stories on the media about the coronavirus. Yoga-based exercises are interventions that are effective on both health and stress. This study was conducted for the purpose of determining the effects of yoga on the health profile, depression and anxiety levels of individuals in the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic process. Material and Methods: The data in this study were collected by an online survey database (Google Forms) in entire Turkey. A total of 374 individuals were reached, while 137 of these individuals stated that they did yoga-based exercises (Yoga Group), and 237 said they did not take part in any physical activity (Sedentary Group). The questionnaire was open to everyone over the age of 18, and the yoga instructors were asked to share with their groups in order to reach those who exercise yogabased. The study assessed the participants' general health status by using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), depression by the Beck Depression Inventory and anxiety by the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Result: In terms of the health profiles, there were significant differences in those who did yoga (Yoga Group) and the sedentary individuals (Sedentary Group) in all parameters of NHP except for the sleep and social isolation parameters (p<0.05). There were also significant differences between the groups in terms of their depression and anxiety levels (p<0.05). Besides, no difference was found between those who do yoga 0- 14 days and sedentary group. Conclusion: These findings show that, in the COVID-19 pandemic period, yoga has positive effects on individual's health profile, depression and anxiety levels.
Keywords: Yoga; depression; anxiety; COVID-19; health profile
Amaç: Koronavirüs hastalığı-2019 [coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)] pandemi sürecinde, kişilerin hem evde kaldıkları için hem de virüse yakalanma korkusuyla stres ve kaygı durumları artmıştır. Dahası, kişiler evde daha uzun zaman geçirdikleri için, sosyal izolasyon, günlük rutinlerdeki değişiklikler ve medyada sürekli koronavirüs ile ilgili haberlerle karşılaştıkları için stres ve kaygı gibi olumsuz duygular yaşamaktadırlar. Yoga temelli egzersizler hem fiziksel sağlık hem de stres üzerinde etkili girişimlerdir. Bu çalışmada, pandemi döneminde yoganın mental ve fiziksel sağlık üzerine etkileri incelendi. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu çalışmada veriler tüm Türkiye'de çevrim içi anket veri tabanı (Google Forms) ile toplanıldı. Toplam 374 kişiye ulaşıldı, bunlardan 137'si yoga temelli egzersizler yaptığını (Yoga Grup), 237 kişi hiçbir fiziksel aktivite yapmadığını (Sedanter Grup) bildirdi. Anket, 18 yaş üstü herkese açık olarak yapıldı, yoga temelli egzersiz yapanlara ulaşabilmek için yoga eğitmenlerinin grupları ile paylaşması istendi. Katılımcıların genel sağlık durumları, Nottingham Sağlık Profili [Nottingham Health Profile (NHP)]; depresyon, Beck Depresyon Envanteri; kaygı durumları ise Spielberger Durumluk-Sürekli Kaygı Envanteri ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Fiziksel sağlık açısından Yoga Grup ve Sedanter Grup arasında NHP'nin uyku ve sosyal izolasyon parametresi hariç tüm alt parametrelerinde anlamlı farklılık vardı. (p<0,05) Depresyon ve kaygı açısından gruplar arasında anlamlı farlılıklar vardı (p<0,05). Yoga yapma sürelerine göre gruplar belirlendiğinde sedanterler ile 1 yıldan uzun süredir yoga yapanlar arasında NHP'in uyku parametresi hariç diğer tüm parametreler arasında anlamlı farklılıklar görüldü (p<0,05). Bunlara ilaveten 0-14 gün yoga yapanlar ile sedanter grup arasında anlamlı farklılık görülmedi. Sonuç: Bu bulgular, COVID-19 pandemi döneminde uzun süreli yoga temelli egzersiz yapmanın genel sağlığı ve mental sağlığı olumlu yönde etkileyebileceğini göstermektedir.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Yoga; depresyon; anksiyete; COVID-19; sağlık profili
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