Yoga Therapy- The Effects of Pranayama and Yoga Practice on ADHD

The Effects of Pranayama and Yoga Practice on ADHD

Meditation therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Synopsis- In this study respiratory training, postural training, relaxation and concentration training was practiced on a group of 10 students with ADHD diagnoses. Students were given meditation training ten minutes before and after they learned for ten minutes, twice daily for three months. This study was listed as inconclusive as more data was needed and no control group was tested. The results do show that “Participants reported being calmer, less distracted, less stressed and better able to control their anger and frustration. However, there was no control/comparison group in this study.”

Yoga for the Management of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder 

Synopsis- This study was done on a 9 year old boy who presented with ADHD. He was given 10 minutes of meditation, 40 minutes of asana and 10 minutes of pranayama each day for 6 months. This yoga practice had a significant impact on this boy. “At the six-month follow-up after initiating the yoga training regimen, the parents noted subjective improvement in their child’s ADHD symptoms. His parents and school teachers observed decreased instances of fidgeting, improved ability to remain seated during mealtime and during class, improved ability to complete homework and chores and improved school performance”.

The perception of parents and teachers of the influence of yoga on the concentration and co-existing behaviour of learners with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 

Synopsis- This study was done with 9-10 year old boys who were diagnosed with ADHD as well as taking medication for their symptoms. This study was done by using parent and teacher assessments of the child’s behavior after a regular yoga practice. The findings reported that “Overall, the perception of parents and teachers was that yoga had a positive influence on the behavior of most of the patients with ADHD, showing that there is a potential benefit in using yoga to support ADHD symptoms such as a lack of concentration, high levels of aggression and anxiety, and an improvement in self-esteem”. 

Effects of yoga on attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity in preschool-aged children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms

Synopsis- This study follows preschool children 3-5 years old, both boys and girls who have received an ADHD diagnosis. This was a six week intervention at home and at school. Three measurements were taken; Ki-Tap, heart rate and a questionnaire. Three different groups participated for six weeks. It was noted that “the inattentive and combined symptoms markedly decreased after the practice of yoga. In conclusion, the use of yoga as a technique to improve symptoms of ADHD was successful in this study”. More data was needed as well as a control group to validate the findings. 

Feasibility and efficacy of yoga as an add-on intervention in attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder: an exploratory study

Synopsis- This study was done on children with ADHD ranging from 5-16 years old, both boys and girls. Three different rating systems were used; Conner’s rating scale, ​​ADHD - RS IV and CGI. These children were studied at the end of the first, second and third months. Studies showed that “The results of the study show that after yoga therapy, ADHD symptoms were reduced, in all rating standards. The greatest improvement was seen after the completion of the first month of the yogic therapy”. Findings dropped off after that point possibly because of inconsistencies in continuing with the yoga program. This shows that yoga should be done regularly to manage ADHD symptoms throughout an individual’s life. 

Summary

To summarize the data collected in these articles, although more studies need to be done, it was clear that Yoga and breathwork made a remarkable impact on reducing ADHD symptoms in children and teens. The physical practice with movement, breath and meditation caused the children participating to succeed in making marked improvement with attention, behavior regulation and self esteem. Although some studies used the yoga practice along with medication for ADHD, the results are clear that yoga had a significant impact and was beneficial for the participants. 

Reference list

Krisanaprakornkit T, Ngamjarus C, Witoonchart C, Piyavhatkul N. Meditation therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Jun 16;2010(6):CD006507. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006507.pub2. PMID: 20556767; PMCID: PMC6823216.

Gunaseelan L, Vanama MS, Abdi F, Qureshi A, Siddiqua A, Hamid MA. Yoga for the Management of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Cureus. 2021 Dec 16;13(12):e20466. doi: 10.7759/cureus.20466. PMID: 35070529; PMCID: PMC8760933.

The perception of parents and teachers of the influence of yoga on the concentration and co-existing behaviour of learners with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Beart K, Lessing A. J Transdiscipl Res Southern Africa. 2013;9:13.

Effects of yoga on attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity in preschool-aged children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. Cohen SC, Harvey DJ, Shields RH, et al. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2018;39:200–209

Feasibility and efficacy of yoga as an add-on intervention in attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder: an exploratory study. Hariprasad VR, Arasappa R, Varambally S, Srinath S, Gangadhar BN. Indian J Psychiatry. 2013;55:0–84