NCT07340840

Recreational Yoga and Emotional-Autonomic Health in Older Adults

THE RHYTHM OF CALM: EFFECTS OF RECREATIONAL YOGA ON EMOTIONAL AND AUTONOMIC HEALTH AMONG NURSING HOME RESIDENTS

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 36 (actual)
• Sponsor: Mersin University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Older adults living in nursing homes often experience depression, reduced satisfaction with daily activities, and changes in heart rhythm related to the autonomic nervous system. Non-drug approaches that are safe and easy to apply may help improve both emotional well-being and physical health in this population. This randomized controlled study investigates the effects of a recreational therapy-based yoga program on emotional health and autonomic nervous system function in nursing home residents aged 65 years and older. Participants are randomly assigned to either a yoga intervention group or a control group. The yoga group participates in supervised yoga sessions twice a week for 10 weeks, including gentle yoga postures, breathing exercises, relaxation, and meditation. The control group does not receive any structured intervention during the study period. Depression levels, leisure time satisfaction, and heart rate variability are measured before and after the intervention. Heart rate variability is used as an indicator of autonomic nervous system regulation. The study aims to determine whether recreational yoga can be a safe, low-cost, and effective non-pharmacological approach to improve emotional well-being and autonomic health among older adults living in nursing homes.

Conditions

• Depression in Older Adults
• Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Recreational Therapy-Based Yoga	The yoga intervention consists of supervised group sessions including relaxation exercises, basic and progressive yoga postures (asanas), breathing exercises, and meditation. Sessions are held twice per week for 10 weeks. Supportive equipment such as chairs, cushions, blocks, and towels is used to ensure participant comfort and minimize injury risk.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-06-10
• Primary completion: 2023-06-15
• Completion: 2023-09-01
• First posted: 2026-01-14
• Last updated: 2026-01-14

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)