Cognitive and psychosocial effects of an acute sun salutation intervention among adults with stress
Evidence suggests that yoga can improve executive functioning (EF) and psychological well-being, but there is no evidence whether flow-based, moderate-intensity forms of yoga can deliver similar benefits. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to test the aforementioned effects of engaging in a 30-minute, video-guided sun salutation exercise (n = 25), relative to aerobic exercise (n = 22) and attentional control (n = 24). Low-active participants (Mage = 27.84; 87.3% female) completed psychosocial assessments and tasks assessing EF, before and after the session. Results showed a significant group difference for state anxiety (p = .01, ηp² = .13) and stress (p < .05, ηp² = .09), in favor of the yoga group. No significant between-groups differences in EF were observed. Results suggest that video-guided, flow-based forms of yoga can induce immediate improvements in well-being, yet extended involvement may be required to realize performance improvements in memory and processing speed.