Effect of yoga on blood pressure, cognition and altitude adaptation in novice low land trekking population

Abstract

Background: Trekking is a non-competitive sport, involving maximal skeletal muscle effort. Trekking as tourism in Himalayan range involves ascent to high altitudes in shorter periods of time. Ascending to higher altitude exposes the individual to extreme climate and lower air pressure. This initiates a series of physiological and molecular readjustments like hypoxic ventilator response, diuresis, increased cardiac output, improved oxygen carrying capacity, cerebral blood flow, Hypoxia Inducible Factor. Aim: To study the efficacy of yoga practices in facilitating adaptation to acute high altitude Exposure Design: Pre-post control design Setting: Study was conducted on sixty subjects in Purna Yoga and G adventure in Pokhara Nepal, between the periods of June 2016 to July 2016. Intervention: Experimental Group was administered Yoga practices for a period of 80 minutes in the morning (7 AM – 8:20 AM) and 30 minutes in the evening (6 PM - 6:30 PM) everyday throughout the duration of trekking. The trekking started from Pokhara city (800 m ASL), where the subjects were accommodated in the hotels. Assessments were performed on the first day on all the subjects. Members of both the groups followed the same route and same pattern of ascent. Control group did not perform any physical fitness activity apart from regular daily treks. Post assessment for both the groups were done at Jomsoe which is 3800 meter from sea level on the 8th day. Result: The result showed a lesser reduction in both systolic [F(1,53)=21.48, p≤0.001] and diastolic blood pressure [F(1,53)=36.56, p≤0.001] and also, a significantly lesser reduction in attention [F(1,53)=3.302, p≤0.075]. In the Yoga group as compared to the control group. There was non-significant lesser reduction in peripheral oxygen saturation [F(1,53)=0.82, p≤0.37], and no changes were observed in the pulse rate and symptom scores for high altitude mountain sickness. Conclusion: Yoga and pranayama practices help to maintain systolic and diastolic blood pressure. A lesser reduction in cognition scores, and acute mountain sickness scores were also found in the yoga group. We conclude that Yoga practices are safe for practicing in high altitude and also facilitate homeostasis in novice low land trekking population.