EFFECT OF PRANAYAMA AND MEDITATION IN REDUCING STRESS IN FINAL YEAR MBBS EXAM GOING STUDENTS
Dr. K. Muthuselvi* and Dr. T. Meena
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Stress is a trash of modern life-we all generate it but if you don’t dispose it properly it will pile up and overtakes your life –Terri Guillemets. Aim: To assess the effect of pranayama and meditation in reducing the stress level in final year exam going MBBS students. This is a cohort study. Methodology: 20 healthy volunteers from final year MBBS exam going students were randomly selected. Medical and psychological disorders were excluded in the selected students. DAS scale (Depression, Anxiety, Stress) questionnaire given and scoring done to assess their stress level. Galvanic skin response (GSR) was recorded using polygraph in sitting posture with eyes closed, every 5 minutes for 20 minutes. Along with GSR, blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate were also recorded. Students were taught pranayama and meditation and were asked to practice the same for 45 days, 20 minutes each in morning and evening. At the end of 45 days, the same parameters –stress questionnaire, Galvanic skin response, blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate were recorded and compared with the previous results. Results: The results were analyzed using students’t’ test. Galvanic skin response at the end of 20 minutes before practicing pranayama and meditation was 4.85 whereas after it was 14.65. DAS scale scoring before pranayama and meditation was as follows: depression-10, anxiety-8.5, stress-17.1 whereas after practicing it was 6.15, 4.1 and 8.9 respectively. Conclusion: From this study it is clearly evident that Pranayama and Meditation has a significant role in reducing the stress level. “Sound mind keeps a sound body”.
Keywords: Stress, Pranayama, Meditation, GSR, DAS Scale.
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