Awareness of Yoga and Its Benefit Among Medical Students of Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Birgunj

Abstract

Introduction Yoga is a practice of mind and body that combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation. Yoga helps reduce stress, lower blood pressure and heart rate. It is considered one of many complementary and integrative health approaches. Yoga brings together physical and mental discipline that may help achieve a healthy body and peaceful mind. In this study, we aim to assess knowledge and awareness regarding yoga and its benefit among preclinical students. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study includes 176 preclinical medical students of National Medical College, Birgunj, Nepal. A total of 14 self-designed close-ended questionnaires regarding knowledge and awareness about Yoga were used as a study tool. Data analysis was done using Microsoft Excel, 2010. Results Among 176 preclinical students, 77.84% had the habit of practicing yoga, but only 14.20% of students continued it. About 96.59% of students knew the benefits of yoga. Conclusion The result of the study reveals that there is a positive influence of practicing yoga among students. By practicing yoga, it is capable to achieve personal abilities such as stress management, attention in their work, and maintenance of physical and mental health.

The psychosomatic impact of Yoga in medical education: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“… Thomas and D, 2017 [ 60 ] India 40 male med students 1 month Yoga improves attentional control and working memory. Kondam et al, 2017 [ 61 ] India 80 med students 6 months Yoga significantly improves memory, language fluency and visuospatial skills Braun et al, 2019 [ 62 ] USA 132 dental and dental hygiene students 1h Yoga increases state mindfulness for students with high level of stress P et al, 2018 [ 63 ] India 100 med students 30 min, 5 days/week, 12 weeks Yoga improves attention, concentration, and memory Premalatha et al, 2021 [ 64 ] India 73 dental students 6 days/week, 3 months Yoga promotes academic performance Shrestha et al, 2022 [ 65 ] Nepal 176 med students N/A (Questionnaire only) Practicing yoga could help students to management their stress, increase their attention, and maintain physical and mental health. Ankamreddy et al, 2019 [ 66 ] India 150 med students N/A (Questionnaire only) Students have a positive outlook toward yoga but lack motivation.…”

“…Seven articles focused on the perception, knowledge, and attitude of students toward yoga. It was determined that more than 90% of students are aware of the benefits of yoga [ 65 , 65 , 67 , 68 ]. Despite this, on average, less than 20% of students practice yoga regularly [ 46 , 47 , 65 , 66 , 68 ].…”

“…It was determined that more than 90% of students are aware of the benefits of yoga [ 65 , 65 , 67 , 68 ]. Despite this, on average, less than 20% of students practice yoga regularly [ 46 , 47 , 65 , 66 , 68 ]. The main barriers in practicing yoga were time management, lack of motivation, and laziness [ 66 , 67 ].…”

“…Overall, one study found that 95% of participants wish to practice yoga following the study [ 43 ]. Another study found that more than 90% of students believe yoga should be part of medical school’s curriculum to help them maintain physical and mental health [ 65 ].…”

“…The perception of yoga’s effectiveness among medical and dental students may influence their commitment to engaging in this practice. Seven studies examined students’ awareness, attitudes, and understanding of yoga, revealing that over 90% recognize its benefits [ 65 , 65 , 67 , 68 ]. In contrast, fewer than 20% of students regularly practice yoga [ 46 , 47 , 65 , 66 , 68 ], citing time management issues, lack of motivation, and laziness as primary barriers [ 66 , 67 ].…”