Manjula Rathinam1, Eswari Varadharajan2, Robert Citozi3, Jagadeeswari Suresh4, Mou Pramanik5, Ibnu Noufal Kambitta Valappil6, Karuppasamy Govindasamy7, Farjana Akter Boby8, Vlad Adrian Geantă9
1Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Faculty of Yoga Science and Therapy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
2Meenakshi Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India
3Sports University of Tirana, Faculty of Physical Activity and Recreation, Tiranë, Albania
4Pondicherry University Community College, Department of Physical Education and Yoga, Puducherry, India
5SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Department of Yoga, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India
6Pondicherry University, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Puducherry, India
7Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Department of Sports, Recreation and Wellness, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
8Daffodil International University, Faculty of Health and Life Science, Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
9Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Arad, Romania
Effects of a 12-Week Yoga and Mindfulness Meditation Program on Psychological Stress, Inflammatory Markers, and Sleep Quality in Middle-Aged Obese Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Sport Mont 2025, 23(3), Ahead of Print | DOI: 10.26773/smj.251010
Abstract
Obesity in middle-aged women is commonly linked with chronic inflammation, psychological stress, and poor sleep quality. Holistic, non-pharmacological approaches such as yoga and mindfulness may offer multidimen- sional benefits. This randomized controlled trial investigated the impact of a 12-week yoga and mindfulness meditation program on psychological stress, inflammatory markers, and sleep quality in obese women. Sixty participants (BMI≥30 kg/m²; age 40–55) were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=30) or a con- trol group (n=30). The intervention group underwent thrice-weekly sessions (60 minutes each) combining yoga postures, breathing exercises, and mindfulness meditation. The control group maintained usual routines. Outcomes assessed at baseline and post-intervention included perceived stress (PSS-10), depression symp- toms (BDI-II), sleep quality (PSQI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). After 12 weeks, the intervention group showed significant reductions in perceived stress (−38.7%, p<0.001), depression symptoms (−42.3%, p<0.001), and sleep disturbances (−36.9%, p=0.002) compared to controls. Inflammatory markers also improved significantly: ESR decreased by 26.7% (p=0.007) and hs-CRP by 31.5% (p=0.003). No significant changes were observed in the control group. A structured yoga and mindful- ness meditation program significantly improved psychological and physiological outcomes in middle-aged obese women. These findings support incorporating mind-body interventions in obesity management to ad- dress both mental and physical health.
Keywords
relaxation, stress, sleep disturbances, serum markers
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