Impact of Yoga on Depression, Self-Esteem, Quality of Life and Loneliness in House Hold Women Who Worked Professionally

Background-Many women in India leave their jobs and take care of family and household activities after marriage or having kids. This transition change in their life significantly affects their psychological health in term of mood and self-esteem and make them feel lonely. As a mind and body intervention, Yoga positively impacts psychological health in professional women. Objectives- To study the impact of yoga practice on psychological health in household women who were previously professionals. Material and method- Eighty-two household women from the residential complex in south Bengaluru, between age 25 and 50 yrs, (Age range Mean/S.D 38.79±4.42: Yoga group) & (age range Mean/S.D 38.98±5.99: Control group) who were `working different professionals previously, were divided into yoga group (42) waitlist-control group (40). Subjects in the yoga group underwent 12 weeks of integrated yoga practice consisting of asana, pranayama, kriyas, relaxation techniques, and meditation for three months. The control group followed the routine. All the subjects were assessed for depression; quality of life, selfesteem, and loneliness were evaluated using an appropriate assessment scale. SPSS version 16 was used for data analysis. Results- In within group comparison, a significant improvement in depression (P<0.001), loneliness(P<0.001), quality of life (P<0.001), satisfaction with life(P<0.001) and self-esteem was found in the Yoga group, as control group we found. Between groups, the comparison showed significant improvement in depression (P< 0.001), loneliness (p<0.001), quality of life (P<0.001), satisfaction with life (P<0.001) and self-esteem ((P<0.001) in yoga group as compared to the control group. Conclusion – Three months of yoga intervention led to significant improvement in depression & loneliness, quality of life, satisfaction in life, and self-esteem in household women who were previously working as professionals.