Scientific Yoga for Students
Many students search for new ways to boost their academic performance. To stay awake during dense lectures, students turn to coffee. With hopes of memorizing notes, students study in groups instead of alone. Caffeine and study groups are only a fraction of what college students have discovered works for academic success. Scientists have also discovered various tools that can be used for the aspiring graduate. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, Yoga can not only decrease stress levels, but it can also increase academic performance.
800 students participated in a study that assessed the effect yoga had on academic performance. All students were given a pre and post-test for academic performance. The experimental group of students did yoga asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing), and meditation for 7 weeks. According to the findings, the yoga students performed significantly better than those who did not partake in yoga (Kauts & Sharma, 2009). So, if you are a student who needs something more than coffee and friends to get your grades up, try yoga. You will not regret it. Yoga will exercise the body and allow you to take control of your mind. Alongside studying, a healthy body and a clear mind can conquer any test or quiz.
Further, every student knows that with schoolwork comes stress. Pressure from teachers, worrying about grades, and having anxiety over exams are all part of a student’s life. But, those negative traits do not have to control a student’s life. The study by Kauts and Sharma (2009) also found that students with lower stress levels had better academic performances than those with higher stress levels. Yet, the study does not test the efficacy of yoga in reducing stress. However, another study did. The study focused on future dentists and their anxiety before a surgical exam.
100 clinical students participated in a study that evaluated the effectiveness of yoga in reducing anxiety. The experimental group did yoga for one week. The control group only received a lecture on stress reduction. All of the students’ anxiety levels were measured before being assigned a group, before dental surgery, and after dental surgery. The statistical results conclude that students who did yoga had more reduced levels of anxiety than those who did not do yoga exercises (Shankarapillai, 2012). So, before you future doctors enter surgery do some yoga. Most patients would prefer a calm doctor who just finished some yoga techniques than a doctor filled with anxiety.
Both of these scientific studies emphasize how life-changing yoga can be. By placing yoga in your regular day-to-day, you could be on your way to better grades and fewer worrisome thoughts. Unlike other exercise techniques, yoga focuses not only on the body but on the mind as well. Yoga teaches one how to explore our inner peace, breath in positive energy, and conquer life’s obstacles.
By Tiffany Washington
Work Cited
Shankarapillai, R., Nair, M. A., & George, R. (2012). The effect of yoga in stress reduction for dental students performing their first periodontal surgery: A randomized controlled study. International Journal of Yoga, 5(1), 48–51. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.91714
Kauts, A., & Sharma, N. (2009). Effect of yoga on academic performance in relation to stress. International Journal of Yoga, 2(1), 39–43. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.53860
