Reducing Stress with Yoga: A Systematic Review Based on Multimodal Biosignals

Abstract

Stress is an enormous concern in our culture because it is the root cause of many health issues. Yoga asanas and mindfulness-based practices are becoming increasingly popular for stress management; nevertheless, the biological effect of these practices on stress reactivity is still a research domain. The purpose of this review is to emphasize various biosignals that reflect stress reduction through various yoga-based practices. A comprehensive synthesis of numerous prior investigations in the existing literature was conducted. These investigations undertook a thorough examination of numerous biosignals. Various features are extracted from these signals, which are further explored to reflect the effectiveness of yoga practice in stress reduction. The multifaceted character of stress and the extensive research undertaken in this field indicate that the proposed approach would rely on multiple modalities. The notable growth of the body of literature pertaining to prospective yoga processes is deserving of attention; nonetheless, there exists a scarcity of research undertaken on these mechanisms. Hence, it is recommended that future studies adopt more stringent yoga methods and ensure the incorporation of suitable participant cohorts.

Keywords: ECG; EEG; electromyogram; functional magnetic resonance imaging; galvanic skin response; meditation; stress; yoga.

Figure 1

Common bio-signal measures related to stress investigated during different forms of yoga. EEG: Electroencephalogram, ECG: Electrocardiogram, EMG: Electromyogram, fMRI: Functional magnetic resonance imaging, GSR: Galvanic skin response

Figure 2

Summarised Search strategy. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis flow diagram for the review

Figure 3

Risk of bias assessment: (a) Summary plot; (b) Traffic light plot