Quality of Life

Improve the Psychological Health of Patients with Hypothyroidism with Tele-Yoga Practice

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Stay Active and Healthy during COVID-19 - Aging Well Camarillo

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

In today’s Research News article “Enhancing Quality of Life in Patients With Hypothyroidism Using a Scientific Yoga Module: Randomized Controlled Trial” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12246764/) Nilkantham and colleagues performed a clinical trial of the effectiveness of 6 months of yoga practice presented over the internet in comparison to a wait-list control condition on the physical and psychological well-being of patients with hypothyroidism. They found that telehealth yoga resulted in significant improvements in mental health, energy, vitality, and role limitations.

 

Tele-Yoga is an effective treatment for the psychological symptoms of hypothyroidism.

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on the Contemplative Studies Blog  http://contemplative-studies.org

 

Study Summary

 

Nilkantham S, Singh A, Majumdar V, K N H, Atmakur S. Enhancing Quality of Life in Patients With Hypothyroidism Using a Scientific Yoga Module: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2025 Jun 26;27:e54078. doi: 10.2196/54078. PMID: 40570327; PMCID: PMC12246764.

 

Abstract

Background

The impact of hypothyroidism on quality of life is extensively documented, highlighting its substantial physical, psychological, and social burden. Yoga has demonstrated promising therapeutic benefits in improving hypothyroidism outcomes. Leveraging telehealth’s growth, this study used a rigorously designed scientific yoga module specifically tailored for digital delivery for patients with hypothyroidism undergoing levothyroxine treatment.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the impact of a 6-month tele-yoga intervention in patients with hypothyroidism by comparing outcomes between those receiving levothyroxine combined with tele-yoga and those receiving only levothyroxine treatment.

Methods

A single-blinded, 2-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted for 6 months (April 1, 2022-September 30, 2022) with 134 clinically diagnosed patients with hypothyroidism recruited from the Arogyadhama Holistic Health Home registry (2013-2021). Participants were randomized to either a yoga intervention group or a waitlist control group with 67 in each group and assessed at 3 time points (before, in the middle of, and after the intervention) for primary and secondary outcomes. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey for health-related quality of life was used as a primary measure, whereas secondary measures included thyroid profile, BMI, blood pressure, the Fatigue Assessment Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Gita Inventory of Personality. Clinical data were collected via online questionnaires, and laboratory data (thyroid profile blood pressure and anthropometric measurements) were obtained in person using standardized instruments. A generalized linear model with repeated-measure ANOVA was used to evaluate both within- and between-group effects. In addition, in the yoga intervention group, performance was assessed using a yoga performance assessment scale, and satisfaction was measured through a structured feedback survey.

Results

The intervention showed highly significant effects across all domains of the primary outcome measure (P<.001), with the most notable effects on mental health (F2, 118=425.88; η2=0.88), energy and vitality (F2, 118=371.73; η2=0.86), and role limitations—emotional (F2, 118=335.45; η2=0.85). Secondary measures also showed significant improvements (P<.001), except for thyroxine (P<.014). Average yoga performance assessment scores increased significantly from 65.08 (SD 10.97) to 88.62 (SD 11.18; P<.001), indicating that most participants could easily perform the practices. Overall, 95% (64/67) of the participants in the yoga intervention group expressed high satisfaction with the tele-yoga intervention.

Conclusions

This clinical trial is the first to demonstrate the benefits of a digitally delivered scientific yoga module combined with levothyroxine treatment for hypothyroidism. It highlights the efficacy of instructor-led tele-yoga as a scalable eHealth intervention, enhancing accessibility, long-term engagement, and sustainable health outcomes. Patients receiving tele-yoga alongside levothyroxine showed significantly greater improvements than those on levothyroxine alone, highlighting the value of integrating eHealth into thyroid care for a more comprehensive, patient-centered approach.

Spirituality has Positive Relationships with Well-being and Quality of Life in Patients with Rheumatic Diseases

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Spirituality, religion linked to heart health among Black Americans | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

In today’s Research News article “The Effect of Medication Adherence and Spirituality in Quality of Life of Patients with Rheumatic Diseases” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11855639/) Kavvadia and colleagues examined the relationships of spirituality with health and quality of life in patients with the  Rheumatic Diseases of rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, They report that spirituality is significantly associated with the quality of life of these patients and their physical and psychological health.

 

Spirituality was associated with enhanced well-being and quality of life in patients with Rheumatic Diseases.

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on the Contemplative Studies Blog  http://contemplative-studies.org

 

Study Summary

 

Kavvadia M, Saridi M, Toska A, et al. The Effect of Medication Adherence and Spirituality in Quality of Life of Patients with Rheumatic Diseases. Healthcare (Basel). 2025;13(4):436. Published 2025 Feb 18. doi:10.3390/healthcare13040436

 

Abstract

Background: Spirituality is significantly associated with the quality of life of patients suffering from rheumatic diseases, helping them to cope with pain and improve emotional well-being. There is a gap in the literature regarding the relationship between spirituality, quality of life and treatment adherence in patients with rheumatic diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), as relevant studies, especially in the Greek population, are limited. Aims: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of medication adherence and spirituality on the quality of life of patients with rheumatic diseases. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus from the region of Crete. Data were collected via a self-administrated questionnaire consisting of four parts, including questions regarding demographic and clinical information; the WHOQoL-BREF, 3, FACIT-Sp-12, and SMAQ questionnaires were used. The level of statistical significance was set at α = 0.05 for all analyses. Results: The study sample consisted of 115 participants, with the majority being women (90%). The majority of the participants suffered from RA (62%), while 38% suffered from SLE. The mean age of the participants was 49.15 years (SD = 11.7), and 46% described their health as good. We found that the dimensions of spirituality are positively related to the dimensions of quality of life. The peace dimension has a strong correlation with psychological health (r = 0.679, p < 0.001) and overall quality of life (QOL Global, r = 0.671, p < 0.001). Meaning also shows a positive correlation with psychological health (r = 0.563, p < 0.001) and overall quality of life (r = 0.506, p < 0.001), whereas adherence to medication shows a low but positive correlation with overall spirituality (r = 0.192, p = 0.040). Conclusions: The findings support that spirituality can be a protective mechanism, improving the mental resilience and adaptability of patients. This study has the potential to contribute to the development of evidence-based guidelines for the integration of spiritual care into clinical practice, with the objective of enhancing the psychological well-being and overall quality of life of patients with rheumatic diseases.

Improve Alzheimer’s Disease Symptoms with Yoga Practice

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To reduce pre-Alzheimer's cognitive impairment, get to the yoga mat | UCLA

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

In today’s Research News article “Yoga an integrated mind body intervention for improvement in quality of life in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11968721/) Kaushik and colleagues investigated the effects of a 12-week yoga practice intervention on depression, cognitive abilities and quality of life of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and the difficulties of caregiving. They report that yoga practice significantly reduced depression and increased cognitive ability and quality of life in the patients and significantly reduced the burden of caregiving.

 

Yoga practice improves the symptoms of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers difficulties.

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on the Contemplative Studies Blog  http://contemplative-studies.org

 

Study Summary

 

Kaushik M, Yadav A, Upadhyay A, et al. Yoga an integrated mind body intervention for improvement in quality of life in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Front Aging. 2025;6:1449485. Published 2025 Mar 21. doi:10.3389/fragi.2025.1449485

 

Abstract

Background and objective

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) presents profound challenges, significantly impairing quality of life (QOL) for patients and increasing the burden on caregivers. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a tailored 12-week yoga intervention in improving the quality of life for individuals with mild to moderate AD and reducing caregiver burden (CB).

Methods

This is yoga interventional study with healthy controls enrolled 30 participants (18 males, 12 females) diagnosed with mild to moderate AD by an expert neurologist. Participants were aged 60 years or older and were recruited from an old age home. A 12-week yoga program, including specific postures (asanas), pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation, was conducted for 1 hour daily, 6 days a week. Neurocognitive assessments were performed pre- and post-intervention using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Caregiver Burden (CB) Scale. MoCA scores were analyzed across specific domains, including language, memory, attention, visuospatial ability, delayed recall, abstraction, and orientation.

Results

The intervention led to significant improvements in quality-of-life measures. GDS scores decreased from 8.36 ± 2.79 to 5.13 ± 3.07 (P < 0.01; 95% CI: −3.98 to −2.31), while MoCA total scores improved from 18.23 ± 4.90 to 21.10 ± 5.09 (P < 0.01; 95% CI: 2.17–3.89). Domain-specific MoCA scores also showed significant enhancements, particularly in language, attention, and delayed recall. Caregiver burden, measured using the CB Scale, demonstrated notable reductions following the intervention (P < 0.01; 95% CI: −2.54 to −1.23).

Conclusion

This study underscores the significant improvements in depression and cognitive function, and overall quality of life in individuals with mild to moderate AD. Additionally, the intervention alleviated caregiver burden, highlighting its potential as an effective mind-body approach for AD management.

 

Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms are Improved by Meditation or Yoga

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Parkinson's Disease | Contemplative Studies

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

In today’s Research News article “Effects of Meditation and Yoga on Anxiety, Depression and Chronic Inflammation in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11965853/ ) Kwok and colleagues studied the effects of meditation and yoga practice on the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. They found that these practices significantly relieved a wide variety of symptoms, including anxiety, depression, inflammation, movement problems, and improved quality of life.

 

Meditation and yoga relieve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on the Contemplative Studies Blog  http://contemplative-studies.org

 

Study Summary

 

Jojo Yan Yan Kwok, Lily Man Lee Chan, Charis Ann Lai, Philip Wing Lok Ho, Zoe Yuen-kiu Choi, Man Auyeung, Shirley Yin Yu Pang, Edmond Pui Hang Choi, Daniel Yee Tak Fong, Doris Sau Fung Yu, Chia-chin Lin, Richard Walker, Samuel Yeung Shan Wong, Rainbow Tin Hung Ho. Effects of Meditation and Yoga on Anxiety, Depression and Chronic Inflammation in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Psychother Psychosom. 2025 Feb 28;94(2):101–118.

Abstract

Introduction

Clinical guidelines recommend a holistic approach to Parkinson’s disease (PD) care, yet randomized trials examining mindfulness-based interventions in this context are scarce. This study investigated the effects of two mindfulness practices – meditation and yoga – on biopsychosocial outcomes in PD patients, including anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, motor/nonmotor symptoms, health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL), mindfulness, and stress and inflammation biomarkers, compared to usual care.

Methods

159 participants with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic PD and a Hoehn and Yahr stage of 1, 2, and 3, were randomized into meditation (n = 53), yoga (n = 52), and control (n = 54). Meditation and yoga were delivered in 90-min groups for 8 weeks. Primary outcomes included anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms. Secondary outcomes included motor and nonmotor symptoms, HRQOL, mindfulness, and serum levels of interleukin-6, cortisol and TNF-alpha. Assessments were done at baseline (T0), 2 months (T1), and 6 months (T2). Linear mixed models were conducted following intention-to-treat principle.

Results

Compared to control, both meditation, and yoga groups had significant improvements in anxiety symptoms (meditation: mean difference [MD] = −1.36, 95% CI: −2.46 to−0.26; yoga: MD = −1.61, CI: −2.70 to −0.52), motor symptoms (meditation: MD = −5.35, CI: −8.61 to−2.09; yoga: MD = −6.59, CI: −9.82 to−3.36), HRQOL (meditation: MD = −2.01, CI: −3.41 to−0.62; yoga: MD = −1.45, CI: −2.83 to−0.08), and describing skills (meditation: MD = 0.97, CI: 0.04–1.89; yoga: MD = 0.92, CI: 0.01–1.84) at T1, and significant reductions in serum interleukin-6 levels (meditation: MD = −1.14, CI: −2.18 to−0.10; yoga: MD = −1.11, CI: −2.09 to−0.13) at T2. Only meditation significantly reduced depression (MD = −1.44, CI: −2.57 to−0.30) at T1 and sustained the motor and HRQOL improvements at T2.

Conclusion

Meditation and yoga significantly improved anxiety symptoms, chronic inflammation, motor symptoms, mindfulness-describing facet, and HRQOL in PD patients. Meditation provided additional benefits in reducing depressive symptoms and sustaining motor and HRQOL improvements.

 

Online Yoga Improves the Psychological Health of Cancer Patients

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The pros and cons of online yoga - Ekhart Yoga

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

In today’s Research News article “The Effects of Online Yoga Practice on Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11817149/ ) Gatti and colleagues reviewed and summarized the published research studies on the effectiveness of yoga practice presented online to alleviate the psychological sequala of a cancer diagnosis. They report that online yoga significantly increases sleep quality and quality of life and reduces stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue in patients with a diagnosis of cancer.

 

Yoga practice improves the psychological health of cancer patients.

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on the Contemplative Studies Blog  http://contemplative-studies.org

 

Study Summary

 

Gatti F, Perego G, Milano F, Calleri G, Giurioli B, Di Mattei VE. The Effects of Online Yoga Practice on Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Jan 23;13(3):225. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13030225. PMID: 39942415; PMCID: PMC11817149.

 

Abstract

Background: Cancer remains a leading cause of death, with 9.7 million deaths in 2022. Despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment, many cancer patients experience side effects that significantly impact their quality of life, including chronic pain, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and cancer-related fatigue. Non-pharmacological interventions, such as yoga, have gained attention for their potential to reduce stress and improve overall well-being. However, barriers such as fatigue, pain, and transportation issues limit access to in-person yoga, leading to the growing adoption of online yoga as a viable alternative. Objective: This systematic review synthesizes research on the effectiveness of online yoga for cancer patients. A comprehensive search was conducted across Medline, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases on 24 October 2024. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the CASP Checklist. Of 6266 articles initially identified, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising qualitative (n = 4) and quantitative (n = 10) studies. Results: The results suggest that online yoga can improve stress and sleep quality, with moderate effects on anxiety, depression, and fatigue. However, variability in study designs and methodological limitations complicate the evaluation of its overall effectiveness. Conclusions: Online yoga offers a practical, accessible option for cancer patients unable to attend in-person sessions, showing the potential to enhance mental and physical health outcomes. Nevertheless, the variability in study methodologies highlights the need for more standardized research to establish its role as a supportive intervention in oncology care.

 

Mindful Meditators are More Environmentally Friendly

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May be an image of grass
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

In today’s Research News article “How does meditation relate to quality of life, positive lifestyle habits and carbon footprint?” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11730546/) Somarathne and colleagues examined the environmentally friendly behaviors of skilled meditators. They found that meditator’s mindfulness was associated with higher levels of environmentally friendly behaviors.

Hence, mindfulness is associated with environmentally friendly behaviors.

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on the Contemplative Studies Blog http://contemplative-studies.org

Study Summary

Somarathne EASK, Gunathunga MW, Lokupitiya E. How does meditation relate to quality of life, positive lifestyle habits and carbon footprint? Heliyon. 2024 Dec 12;11(1):e41144. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41144. PMID: 39811348; PMCID: PMC11730546.

Abstract
There is increasing scientific interest in the potential links between meditation practice and pro-environmental behaviours. The present research investigates relationships between Vipassana meditation experience (temporal variables of meditation, five facets of trait mindfulness), positive lifestyle habits (PLH), quality of life (QoL) and per-head carbon footprint (CF) among 25 skilled meditators. Self-reported validated questionnaires were given to a group of native speakers of Sri Lanka to collect data on meditation experience, PLH, and perceived QoL. In estimating CF four domains (food and beverage consumption, electricity consumption, traveling and solid waste disposal) were considered. Correlation analyses revealed that trait mindfulness showed strong associations (r > 0.4) with PLH. None of the temporal variables of meditation experience was significantly correlated with any domain of CF. Two facets of mindfulness (observing and non-reactivity to present-moment experience) demonstrated statistically strong associations (p < 0.05) with perceived QoL. It was found that the PLH significantly mediates the relationship between the observing facet of trait mindfulness and CF associated with food and beverage consumption (indirect effect – 0.002, SE = 0.001 95 % CI [0.010, 0.417]). Further, the relationship between acting with awareness and CF associated with solid waste disposal at landfill sites was significantly mediated by the PLH (indirect effect – (−0.003), SE = 0.003 95 % CI [-0.012, −0.0001]). The current study will serve as a foundation for future longitudinal studies on the same subject by providing evidence for the relationships between meditation experience and PLH, perceived QoL and CF