Handbook of Research on Evidence-Based Perspectives on the Psychophysiology of Yoga and Its Applications

Telles, Shirley · Gupta, Ram Kumar

Aug 2020 · IGI Global

About this ebook

While yoga was originally intended to be practiced for spiritual growth, there is an increasing interest in applying yoga in all areas of life. It is important to understand this ancient science and way of life through as many perspectives as possible (e.g., based on biomedical engineering). As its popularity and interest grows, more practitioners want to know about the proven physiological effects and uses in healthcare.

The Handbook of Research on Evidence-Based Perspectives on the Psychophysiology of Yoga and Its Applications provides research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of yoga therapy and its physiological effects from diverse, evidence-based viewpoints. The book adds in-depth information regarding the (1) physiological effects of yoga; (2) neurobiological effects of yoga meditation; (3) psychological benefits related to yoga, such as mental wellbeing; (4) molecular changes associated with yoga practice; and (5) therapeutic applications (for lymphedema, mental health disorders, non-communicable diseases, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and trauma, among other conditions). Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as pain management, psychotherapy, and trauma treatment, this book is ideally designed for yoga practitioners, physicians, medical professionals, health experts, mental health professionals, therapists, counselors, psychologists, spiritual leaders, academicians, researchers, and students.

About the author

Shirley Telles has a degree in conventional medicine (MBBS) and a MPhil and PhD in Neuurophysiology at the National Institute of Mental of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India. For both MPhil and PhD her theses were on the effects of yoga practice and their applications in health and rehabilitation. Dr. Telles received a Fulbright fellowship in 1998 to assess fMRI in meditators at the University of Florida. Later Dr. Telles was awarded the first ever Indian Council of Medical Research Center for Advanced Research to assess the effects of meditation through autonomic and respiratory variables, evoked and event related potentials, polysomnography and fMRI. From 2007 Dr. Telles has been the Director of a research foundation committed to researching the effects of Yoga and Ayurveda (Patanjali Research Foundation, Haridwar, India). Dr. Telles has 152 publications related to yoga, most of them appear in PubMed, the others appear in PsycLit or similar databases. Dr. Telles is an enthusiastic practitioner of yoga herself and believes that yoga research can positively impact all aspects of life.

Ram Kumar Gupta is a senior researcher who has worked at different levels in Patanjali Research Foundation. His areas of research have included (i) the use of functional near infrared spectroscopy in yoga breathing, (ii) effect of yoga in clinical and neuropsychological outcomes, (iii) therapeutic use of yoga in back pain along with the Yoga Biomedical Trust, U.K., (iv) occupational stress and yoga, and (v) surveys to determine the motivators, benefits and adverse outcomes related to yoga practice. This has resulted in 25 research papers cited in PubMed/PsycInfo indexed journals, 22 conference and seminar presentations in India and other countries. Ram Kumar Gupta has completed his post graduation in Clinical Psychology (2008-2010) from Dev Sanskriti University, Haridwar, India (http://www.dsvv.ac.in/) and in Yoga and Holistic Health from the Uttarakhand Open University (http://www.uou.ac.in/). In 2014 he was registered for Ph.D. from the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, with the topic ‘Effect of yoga and guided imagery on aggression and self esteem among juvenile delinquents’; his thesis is near completion. Yoga research is Ram Kumar Gupta’s main academic interest. [Editor]