Yoga Ameliorates Performance Anxiety and Mood Disturbance in Young Professional Musicians

The goal of this study published in Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback [2009 Aug 6] and conducted by researchers at the Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, "was to evaluate the benefits of yoga and meditation for musicians. Young adult professional musicians who volunteered to participate in a 2-month program of yoga and meditation were randomized to a yoga lifestyle intervention group (n = 15) or to a group practicing yoga and meditation only (n = 15). Additional musicians were recruited to a no-practice control group (n = 15). Both yoga groups attended three Kripalu Yoga or meditation classes each week. The yoga lifestyle group also experienced weekly group practice and discussion sessions as part of their more immersive treatment. . . . Similar results in the two yoga groups, despite psychosocial differences in their interventions, suggest that the yoga and meditation techniques themselves may have mediated the improvements. Our results suggest that yoga and meditation techniques can reduce performance anxiety and mood disturbance in young professional musicians."  Abstract: PubMed.