Effect of '61-points relaxation technique' on stress parameters in premenstrual syndrome

Abstract

Premenstrual Syndrome is a psychoneuroendocrine stress related disorder and more than 300 treatment modalities for PMS show that the existing remedies have not provided satisfactory help to relieve PMS. 61-points relaxation exercise (61-PR), a relatively less known hatha yoga technique, is a successful means of stress relaxation and is expected to relieve PMS as well. The present study was conducted on 50 clinically healthy women volunteers who were in their reproductive age group and in their premenstrual period, from which a control group (n = 20) and a PMS group (n = 30) based on the symptoms were identified. In both groups basal heart rate (HR/min), systolic (SBP; mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP; mmHg), electromyogram (EMG; mV), electrodermal galvanic activity (EDG; microv), respiratory rate (RR/min) and peripheral temperature (T; degrees F) were recorded and the subjects were taken through a guided 61-PR. The symptoms and parameters were re-recorded after the 61-PR. In control group, the basal HR was 82.06 +/- 8.07, SBP 111.95 +/- 8.23, DBP 76.8 +/- 6.42, EMG 4.08 +/- 2.99, EDG 9.77 +/- 3.29, RR 15.60 +/- 3.77 and T was 97.86 +/- 0.63. After 10 minutes of 61-PR, HR (77.27 +/-10.85, P < 0.05), SBP (107.35 +/- 7.41, P < 0.05), DBP (75.25 +/-7.57, P < 0.05), EMG (2.07 +/- 1.90, P < 0.05), EDG (8.06 +/- 2.87, P < 0.05), RR (16.00 +/- 4.12, P < 0.05) fell significantly and T (97.97 +/- 0.64, P > 0.05) rose significantly. In the PMS group, the basal HR was 90.61 +/- 8.46, SBP 122.5 +/- 11.52, DBP 83.53 +/- 8.26, EMG 5.79 +/-2.75, EDG 13.14 +/- 6.54, RR 19.13 +/- 3.76 and T was 93.43 -/+ 5.29. After 10 minutes of 61-PR, HR (75.58 +/- 10.11, P < 0.0001), SBP (114.53 +/- 9.70, p < 0.0001), DBP (77.46 +/- 8.68, P < 0.0001), EMG (2.56 +/- 1.77, P < 0.0001), EDG (10.64 +/- 5.72, P < 0.0001), and RR (16.13 +/- 3.76, P < 0.0001) declined to a much greater extent and T (93.49 +/- 5.28, P < 0.0001) rose more significantly. These results suggest a reduction in sympathetic activity by 61-PR, also the high basal sympathetic tone present in subjects of PMS group due to stress is considerably reduced by relaxation. 61-PR is effective in providing relief from PMS and may be a useful adjuvant to medical therapy of PMS and other stress disorders.