Role of yoga in improving quality of life of hypothyroidism patients

Abstract

Background: Yoga is science of simple living that enlightens all aspects of life physical, mental, psychic and spiritual. Yoga helps in balancing and harmonizing body mind and emotions. Yoga improves pulmonary ventilation and gas exchange. Thus, it improves respiratory health and general wellbeing of individual. Aim was to assess role of yoga in improving the quality of life of hypothyroidism patients before and after 6 months of yoga.Methods: Sixty adult patients of hypothyroidism participated in this prospective study and were divided into two groups. Quality of life of all the patients was assessed by WHO QOL BREF document in form of. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS software (version 16.0). Four domain scores were assessed. Unpaired t test and paired t test was to compare normal controls with hypothyroid patients.Results: There was a significant improvement of 17.79% in the physical aspect of quality of life of patients in the yoga group at the end of six months as compared to the patients in the control group. Significant improvement of 18.38% was also observed in the psychological aspect of quality of life of patients in the yoga group at the end of six months as compared to control group.Conclusions: There is a profound improvement in physical and psychological domains of quality of life of hypothyroid patients. However, further studies over longer period of time may be helpful to evaluate the effect of yoga in these aspects of life.