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Immediate effect of mind sound resonance technique (MSRT – a yoga-based relaxation technique) on blood pressure, heart rate, and state anxiety in individuals with hypertension: a pilot study

  • Yuni Wang , Kashinath G Metri EMAIL logo , Amit Singh and Nagaratna Raghuram
Published/Copyright: October 20, 2018

Abstract

Background

Mind sound resonance technique (MSRT) is a yoga-based relaxation technique. Previous studies on MSRT demonstrated its potential health-benefiting effects in both clinical and nonclinical population. Present study intended to assess the acute effect of MSRT intervention on blood pressure, heart rate (HR), and state anxiety in patients with essential hypertension (HTN).

Methods

Thirty participants (13 females) with HTN, within the age range 30–60 years (with mean±SD: 57.23±11.3 years), who visited SVYASA University campus to attend 1-week residential yoga program for HTN treatment, were considered for this study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. All participants received a 4-day MSRT orientation sessions prior to the study. Each participant underwent 30-min session of both MSRT and supine rest (SR) on 2 successive days. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures, pulse rate, and state anxiety were measured before and immediately after both MSRT and SR sessions. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Repeated-measure analysis of variance was applied to assess within-subjects changes.

Results

After MSRT session, significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), HR, and state anxiety was observed compared to baseline. Similarly, after SR session, significant changes were found in HR and state anxiety. No significant change was seen in SBP and DBP following SR compared to SR session; MSRT session showed significantly better improvement in SBP, DBP, HR, and state anxiety.

Conclusion

Present study demonstrated the usefulness of single session of MSRT in reducing blood pressure, HR, and state anxiety among individuals with HTN as compared to SR. These findings encourage the further studies with larger sample size and long-term intervention with a robust research design.

  1. Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.

  2. Research funding: None declared.

  3. Employment or leadership: None declared.

  4. Honorarium: None declared.

  5. Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.

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Received: 2017-12-21
Accepted: 2018-04-16
Published Online: 2018-10-20

© 2018 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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