The Effect of Vinyasa Yoga Practice on the Well-Being of Breast-Cancer Patients during COVID-19 Pandemic

Agnieszka Zok (), Monika Matecka, Joanna Zapala, Dariusz Izycki and Ewa Baum
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Agnieszka Zok: Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-812 Poznan, Poland
Monika Matecka: Department of Occupational Therapy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-812 Poznan, Poland
Joanna Zapala: Department of Postgraduate Studies, SWPS University, 03-815 Warszawa, Poland
Dariusz Izycki: Department of Cancer Immunology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-812 Poznan, Poland
Ewa Baum: Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-812 Poznan, Poland

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: Background: Vinyasa yoga practice improves body fitness and potentially positively affects practitioners’ well-being and health. Due to the diverse intensity of practice and positions customized to the practitioner’s needs, it can also support cancer patients. Undertaking physical activity that has a potentially positive effect on well-being and health was particularly important during the self-isolation that followed the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of three-month mild and moderate intensity vinyasa yoga practice on breast-cancer patients’ stress perception, self-confidence, and sleep quality during COVID-19 induced self-isolation. Methods: Female breast-cancer patients participated in twelve-weeks of online vinyasa practice during the COVID-19 induced self-isolation period. Meetings were held once a week, where 60-min vinyasa yoga sequences were followed by 15 min of relaxation. Patients completed pre- and post-intervention surveys to evaluate changes in the following outcomes: stress perception, self-confidence, and sleep quality. Forty-one female patients enrolled in the Vinyasa course completed the pre-intervention survey, while 13 attended all the meetings and completed the post-intervention survey. Results: The effect of the twelve-week yoga and relaxation practice significantly reduced sleep problems and stress of oncological patients. The participants also declared an improvement in their general well-being and self-acceptance. Conclusion: Dynamic forms of yoga combined with mindfulness techniques can be applied to patients treated for oncological diseases. It contributes to improving their well-being. However, in-depth studies are needed to analyze the complexity of this effect.

Keywords: life quality; yoga; insomnia; well-being; physical activity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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