Three studies on the effects of shavasan were conducted at JIPMER during 2001-2002: 1. Shavasan reduced stress from a cold pressor test by enhancing parasympathetic activity and blunting sympathetic responses. 2. Shavasan improved hypertensive patients' ability to withstand stress from an isometric hand grip test after yoga relaxation training. 3. Practicing shavasan for six weeks improved heart rate variability in students by increasing parasympathetic influence.

1. Review ofReview of ShavasanShavasan Studies ConductedStudies Conducted
at JIPMER During 2001-2002at JIPMER During 2001-2002
Madanmohan ,Madanmohan ,
Vijayalakshmi P , Udupa Kaviraja ,Vijayalakshmi P , Udupa Kaviraja ,
Bhavanani AB , Prakash ESBhavanani AB , Prakash ES
Department of Physiology,
Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate
Medical Education and Research
(JIPMER), Pondicherry –6, India.

2. 3 Shavasan3 Shavasan Studies Conducted atStudies Conducted at
JIPMER During 2001-2002JIPMER During 2001-2002
Modulation of cold pressor-induced stress byModulation of cold pressor-induced stress by
shavasanshavasan in normal adult volunteersin normal adult volunteers
Modulation of stress induced by isometric hand grip
test in hypertensive patients following yogic
relaxation training
Effect of Shavasan on heart rate variability (HRV) in
normal student volunteers

3. MODULATION OFMODULATION OF
COLD PRESSOR-INDUCEDCOLD PRESSOR-INDUCED
STRESSSTRESS
BYBY SHAVASANSHAVASAN
IN NORMAL ADULT VOLUNTEERSIN NORMAL ADULT VOLUNTEERS

4. INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION
 Modern man is the victim of stress and stress-
induced disorders
 Shavasan is known to produce relaxation and
enhance one’s ability to combat stress
 Cold pressor test measures the stress-induced
sympathetic response

5. OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES
 To quantify the sympathetic response to the stress
induced by cold pressor test
 Role of shavasan, if any in modulating this
response
 Possible mechanisms involved in such a
modulation

6. METHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGY
 Ten normal adult volunteers were taught shavasan
 R-R interval variation (RRIV),deep breathing
difference(DBD) and cold pressor test were
performed before and after ten minutes of
shavasan

7. RESULTSRESULTS
0
5
10
15
20
25
RRIV DBD
RRIV(%)/DBD(beatspermin)
Before
After

8. RESULTS (contd.)RESULTS (contd.)
60
70
80
90
Basal
30s
60s
90s
120s
180s
240s
300s
360s
420s
Heartrate(beats/min)
Before
After

9. RESULTS (contd.)RESULTS (contd.)
60
70
80
90
100
110
Basal
30s
60s
90s
120s
180s
240s
300s
360s
420s
RPP
Before
After

10. CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION
Shavasan can :
 Enhance the parasympathetic activity
 Blunt the sympathetic activity
 Reduce the load on the heart
 Therefore, enhance one’s ability to withstand
stressful stimuli

11. SUMMARYSUMMARY
To study the anti-stress effect of shavasan
Cold pressor test was used to induce stress
Shavasan enhanced one’s ability to
withstand stressful stimuli

12. Modulation of stress
induced by isometric hand
grip test
in hypertensive patients
following yogic relaxation
training

13. IntroductionIntroduction
Modern man has become a victim of stress and
stress induced health disorders.
Yoga includes a vast number of techniques
designed for perfect health tried and tested for
over 5,000 years.

14. Many articles were published on the role of
yoga in the manage-ment of essential
hypertension.
But majority of workers used only shavasana
and reported their results before and after yoga
training.
Lack of literature on BP response to IHG test
and on RPP with yoga training.

15. AIMSAIMS
To study the effect of yoga relaxation
exercises on BP, HR and RPP in
uncomplicated EH.
To record the response of BP, HR and RPP
to IHG test before and after yoga training.

16. MATERIALMATERIAL AND METHODSAND METHODS
Subjects - 13 male patients of uncomplicated
EH from JIPMER staff clinic.
Age - 41 to 60 y.
Duration - 5 to 10 y.
Drugs - Tab atenolol/amlodipine.
Yoga training – 1 hr daily for 6 days/week for
4 weeks.

17.  Yogasanas and pranayama
– Pranava pranayama
– Mini shavasana
– Naukasana
– Vipareetakarini
– Matsyasana
– Chandra anuloma pranayama
– Shashasana
– Kayakriya
– Savitri pranayama
– Shavasana.

18. Parameters: SP, DP, PP, MP, HR & RPP
before yoga training and every week for 4
weeks of training.
Non-invasive semi-automatic blood
pressure monitor (press-mate 8800, Colin
corp. , Japan).

19. Response to IHG test before and after yoga
training.
Inflated sphygmomanometer cuff for IHG
test and maintained 1/3rd
of MVC pressure.
Student’s paired ‘t’ test.
P<0.05 significant difference between
compared values.

20. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONRESULTS AND DISCUSSION

21. Parameters Basal 1st
week
2nd
week
3rd
week 4th
week
SP 141.69
±3.41
145.15
±3.50
136.69
±2.28
127.92
±3.72 **
120.69
±2.27****
DP 87.84
±1.58
88.30
±1.63
82.46
±1.62 *
77.92
2.29***
75.76
±2.23****
MP 105.55
±1.63
107.25
±2.09
100.53
±1.36 *
94.58
±2.45 ***
90.74
±1.75****
HR 84.38
±3.50
79.15
±3.86
73.15
±3.15*
73.53
±3.01 *
74.23
±3.04 *
RPP 119.54
±6.30
115.56
±7.51
99.90
±4.42 *
94.04
±4.75 ***
89.39
±3.69 ***

22. 0
20
40
60
80
1 00
1 20
1 40
1 60
SP DP PP MP HR RPP
Basal 1st week
2nd week 3rd week
4th week
********
**
****
****
*
***
*
***
***
***

23. Parameters Before yoga After yoga
Rest IHG Rest IHG
SP 141.69
±3.41
160.46
±7.90 *
120.69
±2.27
145.00
± 4.40 ****
DP 87.84
±1.58
95.69
± 5.93
75.76
± 2.23
93.15
± 3.64***
PP 53.84
± 3.54
64.76
± 5.05
44.92
± 3.00
53.53
± 2.98
MP 103.55
± 1.63
117.27
± 6.28
90.74
±1.75
110.99
± 3.71****
HR
beats/min
84.38
± 3.50
90.49
± 3.91
74.23
± 3.04
87.00
±3.77**
RPP 119.54
± 6.30
147.11
±11.67
89.39
±3.69
126.44
±7.13**

24. 0
2 0
4 0
6 0
8 0
10 0
12 0
14 0
16 0
18 0
SP DP PP MP HR RPP
Before yoga training Rest
Before yoga training IHG test
After yoga training Rest
After yoga training IHG test
*
****
***
****
**
**

25. Significant ↓SP – 3rd
wk onwards.
Significant ↓DP, MP, HR & RPP -
2nd
week onwards.
No significant change in PP.
↓RPP shows reduced work load
on heart.

26. – IHG Vs Rest before and after yoga
training.
Significant ↑only in SP before yoga.
Significant ↑in SP, DP, MP, HR & RPP
after yoga.
10 mm Hg or less rise in DP – abnormal
cardiovascular reflexes.

27. – 16 mm Hg or more rise in DP –
normal reflexes.
– In our study rise in DP was ~ 8 mm Hg
before yoga and 17.39 mm Hg after yoga.
– Indicates the activity of reflex
mechanisms were improved towards
normal.

28. SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONSSUMMARY & CONCLUSIONS
4 weeks yoga training has effectively
reduced BP, HR & RPP.
Reduction change in BP,HR & RPP from
2nd
week onwards.
Significant ↑in BP, HR & RPP with IHG
after training shows very good sign of
restoration in the cardio-vascular reflex
mechanisms.

29. Resulted in reduced drug dosage and
contributed to mental and physical wellbeing.
Since EH is mainly caused by the stress and
strain, combination of yoga and medicine will
reverse the disorder.

30. Regular practice of yoga produces long
lasting changes even in chronic cases.
Medicine reduces EH in the acute cases and
yoga removes it in long term and prevents
recurrence.
Hence, the techniques of yoga can be used as
an effective adjuvant for drug therapy in the
treatment of EH.

31. Review of Literature:Review of Literature:
The effect of shavasan on heart rate
variability (HRV) is not known.
We investigated the effect of shavasan on
BP, HR and HRV as measured by
sympathovagal balance (SVB), coefficient
of variation of RR intervals (CVRRI) and
total power of the RR-interval spectrum.

32. Effect ofEffect of ShavasanShavasan onon
heart rate variability (HRV)heart rate variability (HRV)
inin
normal student volunteersnormal student volunteers

33. Subjects and Methods:Subjects and Methods:
 Twenty six school children (13 boys and 13 girls)
aged 16 years were recruited for the study.
 Their BP, HR and HRV were recorded in supine
position under standard conditions.
 A 5-minute ECG was recorded and the RR-
interval series was subjected to fast Fourier
transformation and an RR-interval power
spectrum obtained.
 SVB was calculated as the ratio of low frequency
(LF) (0.04 – 0.15 Hz) and high frequency powers
(HF) (0.15 – 0.40 Hz).

35. Subjects and methodsSubjects and methods
(contd.):(contd.):
The subjects were then given shavasan
training and practiced the same under our
supervision for a period of six weeks.
BP, HR and HRV were recorded under
similar conditions after the training period.

36. Results:Results:
Parameter Before After P value
Resting heart rate
(beats/min)
73.45 68.61 0.02
Systolic pressure
(mm Hg)
113.80 109.46 0.02
Diastolic pressure (mm
Hg)
61.77 57.53 0.004
Mean arterial pressure
(mm Hg)
81.31 75.50 0.0006
Rate-pressure product
(mm Hg / min)
8375 7540 0.01

37. Indices of heart rate variability:Indices of heart rate variability:
Coefficient of variation of RR-intervals
(CVRRI) was calculated as
CVRRI = (SDNN / Mean RR)*100
(LF) nu = LF / (LF + HF) * 100
(HF) nu = HF / (LF + HF) * 100
Total power of the RR-interval spectrum =
VLF + LF + HF power

38. Effect of Shavasan training onEffect of Shavasan training on
HRVHRV
Parameter Before After P value
CVRRI 8.16 9.43 0.023
LF power
(nu)
40.08 41.25 0.737
HF power
(nu)
59.92 58.75 0.737
Total power
(absolute)
7.36 10.51 0.006
SVB 0.82 0.79 0.866

39. Conclusion:Conclusion:
The practice of shavasan increases heart
rate variability.

40. Implications:Implications:
Shavasan may improve quality of life in
healthy individuals
May be used as therapy for patients with
mental health disorders, hypertension. Drug
dosages could be reduced in these patients.

41. JIPMER