Poorva Chavan
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Written By: Poorva Chavan | Updated : December 4, 2015 10:44 AM IST
Yoga heals your body, mind and soul and can change the way you look at life. But a new study says that yoga not only improves your health but can help you save a lot of money. The findings suggest that yoga and meditation can help curb the general healthcare services by about 43%.
The study was carried out jointly by Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Institute for Technology Assessment and the Benson-Henry Institute. It points out that since yoga evokes a relaxation response or puts one in a psychological state of deep rest, alleviates stress and anxiety, it also affects the heart rate and blood pressure. The highlight of the study is the fact that the techniques that elicit a relaxation response can dramatically reduce health care utilisation. James E Stahl of the MGH Institute for Technology Assessment, who is also the leader of the study said that techniques like yoga, meditation and prayer promote wellness and could potentially ease the burden on healthcare systems at minimal cost and at nor real risk. Read about the 13 health benefits of yoga that will boggle your mind
How was the study conducted?
The relaxation response is the opposite of the fight or flight response and includes practices like meditation, yoga and prayer. It has shown to be helpful in treating stress related disorders like anxiety and depression. For the study, a comparative analysis of information available on Research Patient Data Registry (RPDR) of Partners HealthCare and data on individuals participating in the BHI Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (3RP) from 2006 to 2014 was carried out. They studied how a relaxation response was evoked with the help of social support, cognitive skills training and positive psychology designed to build resilience.
What did the study find?
Taking into consideration the number of health care encounters like imaging studies, lab tests, and procedures the 3RP participants had an average reduction of 43% in their use of healthcare services in the following year of the study. However, the control group reported an increase in the use of health care services, but it was not statistically significant. The study also found that utilisation of services that included treatment for neurological, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal ailments was reduced in the participants of the study.
What does the study conclude?
The researchers believe that programs like 3RP can help one save the money spent on health care services within four to six months or even less.
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