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A Study on the Emotional State of Yoga Practitioners

Article · July 2024

DOI: 10.61440/JCRCS.2024.v2.38

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 ISSN: 2977-0033

Research Article

Journal of Clinical Research and Case Studies

A Study on the Emotional State of Yoga Practitioners

Madhava Chandran K1*, Unniraman P2, Unnikrishnan KK3 and Ram Subramanian4
*Independent Social Researcher, Kozhikode, Kerala, India
2 Director, Patanjali Yoga Research Centre (PYRC), Kozhikode, Kerala, India
3 Yoga Instructor, PYRC, Kozhikode, Kerala, India
4 CEO, PYRC, Kozhikode, Kerala, India

Corresponding author
*

Madhava Chandran K, Anugrah, Ayyappa Nagar, Kozhikode - 673 017, Kerala, India.

Received: June 24, 2024; Accepted: July 09, 2024; Published: July 12, 2024

ABSTRACT
Background: Emotional state indicates the state of a person’s emotions, especially with regard to pleasure or dejection. Emotional states indirectly affect
behaviour. Adolescents practicing yoga have been reported to significantly differ from the non-yoga group on emotional regulation.

Method: The study was carried out among 100 yoga practitioners by Patanjali Yoga Research Centre, Kozhikode, Kerala, India using a questionnaire
containing the measure of emotional state and the characteristics of the respondents such as sex, age, marital status, period of yoga practice (months), and
the level of psychological problems, if any, experienced during the previous two months. Emotional state of the yoga practitioners was quantified as the
experience of positive and negative emotional state items, with five-point responses ranging from “felt very often” to “felt very rarely” scored from 5 to 1
(reverse scored for negative items) as suggested by Yaden & Haybron (2022). The results were analysed as proportion, scores and through ANOVA.

Results: The results have shown that yoga practice has helped the respondents to improve their positive emotions and reduce the experience of negative
emotions, helping them to achieve a better emotional state. Respondents who had less of psychological problems during the past two months and with
higher period of yoga practice achieved better positive and negative emotional state. In addition to more psychological problems faced, lesser period of yoga
practice by those reporting more psychological problems could have also contributed to comparatively low emotional state scores for respondents who had
more psychological problems, as observed under the study.

Conclusion: Yoga has helped in improving positive emotions and reducing negative emotions for the practitioners, which would contribute to better mental
health. It will be useful if, in addition to the academic/research institutions, yoga centres in India also undertake studies on the effects of yoga using the
expertise of competent researchers, and transfer the results to people so that they may feel more motivated to start practicing yoga for achieving better
wellbeing in their lives. This is especially important in a country like India, where the level of adoption of yoga is not much.

Key words: Yoga Practice, Positive Emotions, Negative Methodology

Emotions, Emotional State The study was carried out among 100 yoga practitioners by
Patanjali Yoga Research Centre, Kozhikode, Kerala, India using
Introduction a questionnaire containing the measure of emotional state and the
Emotional state indicates the state of a person’s emotions, characteristics of the respondents such as sex, age, marital status,
especially with regard to pleasure or dejection. Emotional states period of yoga practice (months), and the level of psychological
indirectly affect behaviour. They do not cause it. When we are problems, if any, experienced during the previous two months.
feeling angry, we are more likely to act aggressively. When we are Emotional state of the yoga practitioners was quantified as the
relaxed, we will more likely take time to make decisions. Yoga experience of positive and negative emotional state items, with
practice contributes to mental health improvement. Adolescents five-point responses ranging from “felt very often” to “felt very
practicing yoga have been reported to significantly differ from rarely” scored from 5 to 1 (reverse scored for negative items)
the non-yoga group on emotional regulation [1]. Findings from as suggested by [2]. The results were analysed as proportion,
a survey found that 67% of people feel emotionally better due to scores and through the statistical test of Analysis of Variance
their yoga practice. (ANOVA).

Citation: Madhava Chandran K, Unniraman P, Unnikrishnan KK, Ram Subramanian. A Study on the Emotional State of Yoga Practitioners. J Clin Res Case
Stud. 2024. 2(3): 1-5. DOI: doi.org/10.61440/JCRCS.2024.v2.38

J Clin Res Case Stud, 2024 www.oaskpublishers.com Page: 1 of 5

Copyright © Madhava Chandran K, et al. Volume 2 | Issue 3
Results Often 10
Table 1 gives shows data on the experience of seven positive
emotional state parameters after starting yoga practice. Sometimes 10
Rarely 15
Table 1: Experience of positive emotional state parameters Very rarely 05
after starting yoga practice Total 100
Positive emotional state parameter
Respondents (%)
and its frequency of experience Table 2 shows data on the experience of eight negative emotional
Felt fully energetic state parameters after starting yoga practice.
Very often 65
Table 2: Experience of negative emotional state parameters
Often 10 after starting yoga practice
Sometimes 10 Negative emotional state parameter
Rarely 10 Respondents (%)
and its frequency of experience
Very rarely 05 Felt nervous
Total 100 Sometimes 25
Felt active in life Very rarely 75
Very often 60 Total 100
Often 05 Felt anxious
Sometimes 15 Very often 05
Rarely 10 Sometimes 15
Very rarely 10 Rarely 25
Total 100 Very rarely 55
Felt happy Total 100
Very often 60 Felt tense
Often 10
Very often 05
Sometimes 15
Sometimes 10
Rarely 15
Rarely 85
Total 100
Total 100
Felt cheerful
Felt too tired to do very much of
Very often 75 things
Often 05 Sometimes 40
Sometimes 05 Rarely 30
Rarely 15 Very rarely 30
Total 100 Total 100
Was able to laugh thinking about a Felt low in energy
lot of things
Often 10
Very often 45
Sometimes 40
Often 20
Rarely 20
Sometimes 20
Very rarely 30
Rarely 15
Total 100
Total 100 Felt sluggish
Felt relaxed
Sometimes 25
Very often 45
Rarely 20
Often 15
Very rarely 55
Sometimes 10
Total 100
Rarely 10 Felt sad
Very rarely 20
Often 10
Total 100
Sometimes 20
Felt calm
Rarely 15
Very often 60
Very rarely 55
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Copyright © Madhava Chandran K, et al. Volume 2 | Issue 3

Total 100 Table 6 shows the results of ANOVA of the influence of period
of yoga practice on positive and negative emotional state scores
Felt depressed
after starting yoga practice.
Sometimes 20
Rarely 25 Table 6. ANOVA of the influence of period of yoga practice
on positive and negative emotional state scores after starting
Very rarely 55
yoga practice
Total 100
Period of yoga Mean total positive
F p level
practice (Months) emotional state score
Table 3 shows the data on the statistical test of ANOVA of the
influence of psychological problems on total emotional state up to 6 25.3 2.9 0.10
score after starting yoga practice. 12 to 16 32.7
20 to 36 32.2
Table 3: ANOVA of the influence of psychological problems Period of yoga Mean total negative 2.6 0.10
on total emotional state score after starting yoga practice practice (Months) emotional state score
Level of psychological Mean total up to 6 31.7
problems experienced in emotional F p level
the past two months state score 12 to 16 34.7

Very much 36.0 19.0 0.001 20 to 36 38.0

Much 38.0 Table 7 gives details of the period of yoga practice of respondents
Slight 68.2 reporting different levels of psychological problems experienced
Nil 65.3 during the previous two months.

Table 4 gives details of ANOVA of the influence of period of Table 7: Period of yoga practice of respondents reporting
yoga practice on total emotional state score after starting yoga different levels of psychological problems
practice. Period Respondents (%)
of yoga Level of psychological problems experienced
Table 4: ANOVA of the influence of period of yoga practice practice during the previous two months
on total emotional state score after starting yoga practice (Months)
Slight Much Very much Nil
Period of yoga Mean total emotional
F p level Up to 1 20.0 - 100 25.0
practice (Months) state score
3 to 6 - 100 - 50.0
up to 6 57.0 2.62 0.10
12 to 20 40.0 - - -
12 to 16 67.3
16 to 32 - - - 25.0
20 to 36 69.5
36 40.0 - - -
Table 5 gives the results of ANOVA of the influence of Total 100 100 100 100
psychological problems on positive and negative emotional state
scores after starting yoga practice. Discussion
Positive Emotions
Table 5: ANOVA of the influence of psychological problems It can be made out from Table 1 that with respect to the seven
on positive and negative emotional state scores after starting positive emotional states, namely, feeling fully energetic, active,
yoga practice happy, cheerful, Able to laugh thinking about lot of things,
Level of psychological Mean total positive feeling relaxed, and calm, 60 % and more of yoga practitioners
problems experienced emotional state F p level have experienced these positive emotions much and very much
in the past two months score when considered together. The practice of yoga would help in
Very much 14.0 15.7 0.001 maintaining better mental health through the development of
positive feelings, which would contribute to overcoming psycho-
Much 14.0 somatic diseases/problems in the life of the practitioners [3].
Slight 31.4
Nil 30.3 Negative Emotions
Level of psychological Mean total 9.9 0.001 It can be made out from Table 2 that with respect to the negative
problems experienced negative emotional emotions, namely, feeling nervous, anxious, tense, tired to do
in the past two months state score very much of things, sluggish, sad, and depressed, 60 % and
more of yoga practitioners have reported experiencing them
Very much 22.0
rarely and very rarely when considered together or rarely / very
Much 24.0 rarely only. Only with respect to the negative emotion, namely,
Slight 36.8 feeling low in energy have 50 % of yoga practitioners reported
Nil 35.1 experiencing it rarely and very rarely when considered together.

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Copyright © Madhava Chandran K, et al. Volume 2 | Issue 3
The influence of yoga on both cognitive reappraisal and psychological problems faced, lesser period of yoga practice by
expressive suppression items related to emotion regulation those reporting more psychological problems might have also
has been reported [4]. A study has found the effect of yoga in contributed to comparatively low emotional state scores for
maintaining good mental state among the practitioners [5]. respondents who had more psychological problems, as observed
Improvement in 34 positive and negative mood parameters in the study.
after yoga practice, with statistical influence of the period of
yoga practice on mood improvement was observed [6]. Yoga Conclusion
is explicitly aimed at increasing mindful awareness, self- The finding of the study indicate that yoga practice has helped
compassion and body awareness, and it is possible that these the respondents to improve their positive emotions and reduce
factors may serve as mediators for emotional wellbeing [7,8]. the experience of negative emotions, helping them to achieve
In a study on the emotional stability of meditation, which is a a better emotional state, which will contribute to their mental
yogic practice, it was observed that it helped the practitioners to health. Respondents who had less of psychological problems
experience more positive emotions and reduce the experience of during the past two months and with higher period of yoga practice
negative emotions [9]. achieved better positive and negative emotional state. Further, in
addition to more psychological problems faced, lesser period of
Emotional State Score yoga practice by those reporting more psychological problems
Those who report experiencing very much as well as much could have also contributed to comparatively low emotional state
psychological problems during the past two months have low scores for respondents who had more psychological problems in
total emotional state scores, when compared to those who report the study.
slight problems and no psychological problems. The lowest score
of 36 is for the respondents reporting very much psychological It will be worthwhile if, in addition to the academic/research
problems. The statistical difference in total emotional state institutions, yoga centres in India also undertake studies on the
scores is also evident (Table 3). effects of yoga using the expertise of competent researchers, and
transfer the results through seminars etc. to people so that they
Data presented in Table 4 shows the statistical significance of may feel more motivated to start practicing yoga for achieving
the difference in mean total emotional state scores based on the better wellbeing in their lives. This is especially important in a
period of yoga practice, with respondents having up to 6 months country like India, where the level of adoption of yoga is not
of practice getting the lowest score (57), followed by those much.
having 12 to 16 months of practice (67.3) and then, by yoga
practitioners who have done yoga for 20 to 36 months (69.5). References
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