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Regular yoga practice was connected to higher levels of psychological well-being in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. However, the psychological mechanisms of this connection are still unexplained. In the present cross-sectional questionnaire study, hypothesised mediating effects of body awareness, satisfaction with body image, and mindfulness were investigated. 203 healthy adults (183 females, mean age: 36.8 ± 10.03 years) practicing yoga at an advanced level were involved in the study. Participants completed online questionnaires assessing body awareness (BAQ), dissatisfaction with body image (BIQ), mindfulness (MAAS) and well-being (WHO-5). Body awareness, body image dissatisfaction and mindfulness showed significant correlations with the weekly frequency of yoga practice as well as with psychological well-being. Body awareness, body image and mindfulness mediated the connection between yoga practice and well-being. In the regression analysis, body image dissatisfaction and body awareness remained connected to well-being even after controlling for practice frequency, mindfulness, gender and age. According to these results, body awareness, body image satisfaction and mindfulness are mediators of the connection between yoga practice and well-being.

Cortical electrical activity during non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep is dominated by slow wave activity (SWA). At larger spatial scales (~2–30 cm) - investigated by scalp EEG recordings - SWA was shown to propagate globally over wide cortical regions as traveling waves, proposed to serve as a temporal framework for neural plasticity. However, whether SWA dynamics at finer spatial scales also reflects the orderly propagation was not yet investigated in humans. In order to reveal the local, finer spatial scale (~1–6 cm) patterns of SWA propagation during non-REM sleep, electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings were conducted from subdurally implanted electrode grids and a non-linear correlation technique (mutual information, MI) was implemented. MI analysis revealed spatial maps of correlations between cortical areas demonstrating SWA propagation directions, speed and association strength. Highest correlations indicating significant coupling were detected during the initial positive-going deflection of slow waves. SWA propagated predominantly between adjacent cortical areas, albeit spatial non-continuities were also frequently observed. MI analysis further uncovered significant convergence and divergence patterns. Areas receiving the most convergent activity were similar to those with high divergence rate, while reciprocal and circular propagation of SWA was also frequent. We hypothesize that SWA is characterized by distinct attributes depending on the spatial scale it is observed. While at larger spatial scales the orderly SWA propagation dominates, at the finer scale of the ECoG recordings, non-REM sleep is characterized by complex SWA propagation patterns.

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The aim of this cross-sectional study is to explore expected differences in the connection between particular physical activities and positive and negative affect, body awareness or mindfulness. Additionally, we describe the so-called tingling phenomenon (i.e. skin-related sensations evoked by focusing on a body part) in terms of prevalence, gender differences and psychological concomitants. A total of 1,057 individuals (331 male; mean age: 30.6 ± 10.17 years) practicing yoga, Pilates training, kung fu, aerobic, or ballroom dance completed our questionnaire. Analysing data of all sports together, weekly frequency of practice, as opposed to time elapsed since starting practice, was connected to lower levels of negative affect and somatosensory amplification, and to higher levels of positive affect. Advanced yoga and Pilates participants showed higher body awareness; advanced kung fu participants amplified bodily signals the least, and aerobic was related to the highest positive affect. Among beginners, there were no practically relevant differences in the assessed constructs. These results might help to clarify the common and different psychological properties that are needed for and/or can be developed by different sports.Keywords: aerobic, body awareness, kung fu, mindfulness, physical activity, positive affect, somatosensory amplification, tingling, well-being, yoga �he authors want to e�press thanks to ��niel �omosk�i, �s�fi a ��ekeres, �ndrea ��egedi, �ogl�rka �ol-�he authors want to e�press thanks to ��niel �omosk�i, �s�fia ��ekeres, �ndrea ��egedi, �ogl�rka �ol-l�rs�ky, �s�fia ��ab� and Lilla Paksi (for data collection) and to �d�m ���� ��inege (for proofreading)� �e-�d�m ���� ��inege (for proofreading)� �e-B.F. Czinege (for proofreading). Research for this paper was supported by the Hungarian National �cientific �esearch �und (O��� �-109549) and by the Bolyai János Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (for F. Köteles). I��N 1788-4934 © 2016 Semmelweis University Institute of Mental Health, BudapestEuropean Journal of Mental Health 11 (2016) 97-111 DOI: 10.5708/EJMH.11.2016.1-2.6 98 �� �� �IH�NYI, �� ��GI, �� ���L�, N� �OLN�I & �� �Ö�ELE� EJMH 11:1-2, April 2016 gerichtete �ufmerksamkeit hervorgerufenes, auf der Haut lokalisiertes Gefühl) dar (Häufigkeit, Geschlechtsunterschiede, psychologische �orrelate)� Insgesamt 1057 Personen (331 Männer, Durchschnittsalter: 30,6 ± 10,17 Jahre), die Yoga, Pilates, Kung-Fu, Aerobic oder Gesellschaftstänze ausübten, haben den �ragebogen ausgefüllt� �lle �ewegungsarten insgesamt betrachtet, hatte die wöchentliche Häufigkeit der körperlichen �ktivität inversen �usammenhang mit der negativen Affektivität und der somatosensorischen Verstärkung und sie zeigte positive Korrelation mit der positiven Affektivität. Die seit dem Beginn des Trainings verstrichene Zeitspanne stand mit keiner der gemessenen Variablen in Zusammenhang. Die Teilnehmer, die Yoga und Pilates fortgeschritten ausüben, �eigten ein höheres �örperbewusstsein, das Niveau der somatose...

Zenét hallgatva olykor elérkezik egy különleges pillanat, amikor a hangok olyan mélyen megérintenek bennünket, hogy a hideg futkos a hátunkon, megborzongunk, lúdbőrözni kezdünk, bizsereg a fejbőrünk, esetleg szaporán kezd verni a szívünk, elszorul a torkunk vagy könnyes lesz a szemünk. Tanulmányom első felében a zenehallgatás érzelem szabályozásban betöltött általános szerepének ismertetése után a zene által kiváltott testi érzeteket tárgyaló angol nyelvű szakirodalom összefoglalására vállalkozom. Bemutatom (1) a jelenség leírására használt szakszavakat (zenei csúcsélmények, chills, thrills, ASMR, bőrorgazmus), (2) a kiváltásában feltételezett zenei elemeket, (3) az idegélettani hátterét (dopaminerg rendszer, szimpatikus aktivitás lateralitás), ( 4) a feltételezett evolúciós sze repét (reakció társak vészjelzésére, érzékenység az akusztikus újdonságra), ( 5) az érzel mekkel és személyiségvonásokkal való kapcsolatát (pozitív emocionalitás, tapasztalatokra való nyitottság). A tanulmány második felében felvetem, hogy a zenehallgatás és a pszi chés jóllét kapcsolatát többek között a zenei csúcsélmények, a bizsergések és más testi érzetek közvetíthetik. Ezek a jelenségek pozitív élményként felerősítik az odafordulást és bizalmat a test és a jelen pillanat felé, ezáltal elősegíthetik a testi tudatosságot (a testi ér zetek felé való odafordulás) és a tudatos jelenlétet (az ittésmostra összpontosító tudat állapot). A tudatos jelenlét és a testi tudatosság mentális egészséggel való kapcsolata is mert, és megjelentek olyan terápiás módszerek is, amelyek a testi figyelem erősítésére a zenehallgatást használják. A zenei bizsergések és más, a zenehallgatás közben bekövetke ző kellemes testi élmények gyakorisága a zenei fordulatokon kívül függhet a befogadó mentális állapotától. A tudatos jelenlét, a testi tudatosság és a zenei bizsergések között talán kétirányú pozitív kapcsolat áll fenn: a tudatosság erősítése a zenehallgatás előtt va lószínűsítheti a testi élmények átélését, a testi élmények pedig kaput nyithatnak a tuda tosság felé. A zenei bizsergések intermodális jelenségként felhívják a figyelmet a zenete rápiák, a mindfulness alapú kognitív pszichoterápiák, és a testközpontú pszichoterápiák további integrálási lehetőségére, illetve a szórakoztatóipar és a zeneoktatás mentálhigiénés prevencióban eleddig kiaknázatlan lehetőségeire.

Verbal instructions provided during yoga classes can differ substantially. Yoga instructors might choose to focus on the physical aspects of yoga (e.g., by emphasizing the characteristics of the poses), or they might take a more spiritual approach (e.g., by mentioning energy flow and chakras). The present study investigated the effects of verbal cues during yoga practice on various psychological measures. Eightyfour female students (22.0 ± 3.80 years) participated in the study. Two groups attended a beginner level hatha yoga course in which physically identical exercise was accompanied by different verbal cues. The so-called "Sport group" (N = 27) received instructions referring primarily to the physical aspects of yoga practice, while the "Spiritual group" (N = 23) was additionally provided with philosophical and spiritual information. A control group (N = 34) did not receive any intervention. Mindfulness, body awareness, spirituality, and affect were assessed 1 week before and after the training. 2 × 3 mixed (time × intervention) ANOVAs did not show an interaction effect for any of the variables. However, when the two yoga groups were merged and compared to the control group, we found that spirituality increased, and negative affect decreased among yoga participants. In conclusion, yoga practice might influence psychological functioning through its physical components, independent of the style of verbal instructions provided.