Independent Research Findings: Health and Wellness Benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY)
SKY significantly decreases Clinical & Non-clinical Depression
*
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Control SKY
Pre-testPost-test
Su
bclin
ical
Dep
ress
ion
(HA
D)
(HAD) – Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale * - p value = 0.001
Kjellgren et al. (2007) N.Janakiramaiah et al. (2000)
H
amilt
on R
atin
g Sc
ale
for D
epre
ssio
n (H
RSD
) Clinical Depression Non-Clinical Depression
SKY significantly reduces major depressive disorder as effectively as anti-depressant drug therapy, yet is free of unwanted side effects.
SKY reduces everyday blues (non-clinical depression) by one third in four weeks.
1
6
11
16
21
26
31
Anti-depressant Drug SKY
Before SKY
Week 2
Week 4
SKY Significantly decreases Clinical & Non-clinical Anxiety
*
A
nxie
ty (
%)
73% of individuals suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) who were not helped by standard psychiatric care experienced reductions in anxiety, and 41% achieved full remission 4 weeks after learning SKY. (* - p value <0.01)
Katzman MA et al. , Int J Yoga 2012;5:57-65
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Control SKY
Pre-test
Post-test
Su
bclin
ical
Anx
iety
(H
AD
)
SKY significantly decreases everyday worry and anxiety
(HAD) – Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale * - p value <0.01
Kjellgren et al. , BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2007, 7:43
*
Clinical Anxiety Non - Clinical Anxiety
0
20
40
60
80
100
120Control
SKY
Independent Research Findings: Health and Wellness Benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY)
PC
L-M
(Pos
ttrau
mat
ic S
tress
Dis
orde
r C
heck
list-M
ilita
ry V
ersi
on)
* §
*
Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who practiced SKY had significant reductions in PTSD symptoms after just one week of SKY practice. Results persisted for one year with no follow-up sessions, demonstrating long term benefits.
* - p value <0.0001 § - p value < 0.003
Seppala et al. (2014)
SKY Significantly Reduces PTSD
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
1 week before SKY 1 week after SKY 3 months after SKY 1 year after SKY
Control
SKY
R
elat
ive
Stre
ss L
evel
2,8
2,0
2,2
2,4
2,6
SKY Cont
Pre-test Post-test
P=0.003 *
*
*
Stress
25
10
20
Pre-test Post-test
R
elat
ive
Opt
imism
Lev
el
P=0.002 *
* *
Optimism
Kjellgren et al. (2007)
SKY significantly increases well-being
SKY significantly decreased stress and increased levels of optimism (a key indicator of wellbeing) in healthy adults, indicating improvement of wellness.
SKY Cont
Independent Research Findings: Health and Wellness Benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY)
SKY Significantly Decreases Stress Hormone Levels (Cortisol)
C
ortis
ol (µ
g/dl
)
* - p value <0.05
A.Vedamurthachar et al. (2006)
Adding SKY to conventional treatment for individuals in recovery for substance use was twice as effective in reducing stress hormone cortisol levels as conventional treatment alone
*
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Pre-test Post-test
Standard Care
Standardcare+SKY
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7 Control
SKY
SKY Significantly Activates Genes that Protect against Stress
H.Sharma et al. (2008)
* - p value <0.05
* Hsp-70
SKY activates genes responsible for protecting the body against the damaging effect of stress
Arb
itrar
y U
nits
Independent Research Findings: Health and Wellness Benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY)
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Control SKY
Pre-test
Post-test
SKY Significantly Increases the Well-being hormone Prolactin
Janakiramaiah et al. (1998)
*
Prolactin, a well-being hormone is abnormally low in depressed individuals. Depressed patients experienced 33.3% increase in their Prolactin levels after their very first SKY session.
Arb
itrar
y U
nits
* - p value < 0.05
SOD Glutathione
Glu
tath
ione
m
mol
es/m
g pr
otei
n
Sharma et al., Biol Psychol. 2003 Jul;63(3):281-91
SKY Significantly Increases Antioxidant Production
Antioxidants protect cells from free radical damage, which is responsible for many diseases and the aging process. SKY practitioners exhibited more than twice the levels of the 3 major antioxidants, Glutathione, SOD and Catalase as controls.
20
70
120
170
220
270
320
370
Non SKY
SKY
SO
D
Uni
ts/m
l
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16Non SKY
SKY
Independent Research Findings: Health and Wellness Benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY)
Significantly Greater Mental Focus in Sky Practitioners
EEG measures electrical brain activity. In this study, SKY practitioners demonstrated significantly greater (P<0.05) EEG Beta wave activity than controls, which is indicative of heightened alertness/ mental focus. Bhatia et al. (2003 )
Mean Spectral Power in Various Bands in Controls
Mean Spectral Power in Various Bands in Sudarshan Kriya Teachers
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45 Controls
SKY
SKY Enhances Immunity (Lymphocyte count)
Subramanian, S. et al, 2012
Lym
phoc
ytes
(%)
* *
Approximately 70% of all immune cells are lymphocytes. SKY significantly increased lymphocyte count by more than 50% compared to controls, suggesting enhanced immune function.
Baseline Control 3 weeks SKY practice
Control 6 weeks SKY practice
* - p value <0.001
Independent Research Findings: Health and Wellness Benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY)
SKY lowers Heart Rate and Blood Pressure in Healthy Individuals & Hypertensives
*
*
*
40
60
80
100
120
140
Heart Rate (bpm) SystolicB.P.(mmHg)
DiastolicB.P.(mmHg)
BeforeSKYAfterSKY
Somwanshi S. D. et al. (2013) V.V.AGTE et al. (2011)
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
Diastolic B.P (Men) Diastolic B.P (Women)
Before SKY After SKY
* *
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in N. America. Heart rate and blood pressure are two key indicators of heart function. SKY significantly decreases the heart rate & blood pressure in both healthy individuals, and in people with high blood pressure.
* - p value <0.0001 * - p value <0.01
Systolic B.P. – Pressure in the arteries when heart muscle contracts (Normal value is 120) Diastolic B.P. - Pressure in the arteries when heart muscle relaxes (Normal value is 80)
125
135
145
155
165
175
185 controls
SKY
SKY Significantly Reduces Cholesterol
* *
SKY significantly reduced cholesterol, with no change in diet in just 3 weeks, even under stressful conditions.
Cho
lest
erol
(mg/
dl)
Baseline Control 3 weeks SKY practice
Control 6 weeks SKY practice
* - p value <0.05
Subramanian, S. et al, 2012