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. 2024 Apr 2:12:1370399.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1370399. eCollection 2024.

Reduce stress and the risk of burnout by using yoga techniques. Pilot study

Agnieszka Zok  1 , Monika Matecka  2 , Artur Bienkowski  1 , Magdalena Ciesla  1
Affiliations

Reduce stress and the risk of burnout by using yoga techniques. Pilot study

Agnieszka Zok et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Introduction: This article examines the effectiveness of yoga in managing stress, with a particular focus on work-related stress. Yoga combines physical postures, breath control, and meditation, and has gained recognition for its potential to relieve stress.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the motivating factors behind individuals adopting yoga exercises and to assess the effects of regular yoga practice, with a particular focus on age-related differences. Additionally, we aimed to compare participants' expectations with the actual results of their yoga practice.

Methods: To achieve this, we conducted a comprehensive survey using an online form, which was completed by 520 yoga practitioners. Participants were surveyed about their motivation, the effects they experienced, and the type of yoga they practiced.

Results: The results showed that the most common motivation for individuals practicing yoga was stress reduction. Additionally, the analysis of the effects of regular yoga practice demonstrated a significant reduction in stress levels, with experienced practitioners reporting lower stress levels compared to beginners. In conclusion, the study suggests that regular yoga practice can be an effective way to reduce stress levels.

Conclusion: Dynamic forms of yoga, which incorporate fluid movements and synchronized breathing techniques, are highly effective approaches to stress management and relief. These findings highlight the value of yoga as a tool for individuals of all ages seeking stress relief and overall well-being. Another advantage of yoga practice is its affordability and lack of negative side effects.

Keywords: burnout; occupational stress; stress; wellbeing; yoga.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Analysis of motivation for practicing yoga in relation to the age of respondents. (A) Percentage distribution of responses [%] regarding motivation for practicing yoga in different age categories. (B) Analysis of changes in the frequency of specific responses to the question concerning motivation for practicing yoga in different age categories. The chart displays a regression line, including the beta value (indicating the magnitude of change during the transition from one age category to another) and R2 - the degree of fit of the data to the linear regression line.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Alluvial Plot depending on the response indicating motivation for taking up yoga practice as stress reduction (blue lines, T- true) and in the case when respondents indicated motivations other than stress reduction (red lines, F-false). N - number of respondents. The x-axis represents all possible answer choices regarding motivation for taking up yoga practice.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Cluster analysis based on multiple-choice questions related to motivation to take up yoga practice. The number of clusters is marked according to the color scale on the right side. The results of each survey respondent are presented in rows. The green color on the heatmap indicates the selection of a specific answer by the survey respondent.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Comparison of response frequencies based on assignment to respective clusters. The percentage values of each response declaration are indicated on the x-axis, divided according to the previous assignment of yogis to their respective clusters. The color represents one of the possible answers to the given question, with their corresponding values presented in the legend. (A) Style of yoga practiced by participants classified into clusters; (B) Age of participants assigned to clusters; (B) Length of practice; (C) Significant values for yoga practitioners described according to clusters.
Figure 5
Figure 5
two-way frequency table heatmap showing the frequency dependence of responses to individual motivations for yoga practice in relation to the effects of yoga practice. The data in the heatmap shows the percentage distribution of responses to the motivation question.
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