Psychosomatic and Physical Well-Being Factors After Mind-Body Interventions in a Hospital Setting

Mind-body interventions encompass a variety of treatments that directly affect health. Researchers have found that yoga can decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as improve dietary patterns, enhance physical function and capacity, and enrich sleep. Research has shown that mindfulness can have psychological and physiological benefits and treat symptoms of anxiety and depression.

This study intended to compare the benefits of 2 mind-body interventions-yoga and mindfulness-in a hospital setting.

The research team performed a retrospective analysis of outcome data obtained from a hospital's programs.

The study took place at a mind-body center at a hospital in Athens, GA (USA).

Participants were 46 individuals enrolled either in a yoga (n = 24) or a mindfulness (n = 22) intervention program at the hospital.

Participants self-selected a mind-body-intervention program offered at the hospital: yoga or mindfulness. They received guided training in their chosen intervention at weekly 2-h sessions for 6 to 9 wk.

Participants completed measures of anxiety, depression, mindfulness, and quality of life at 2 points during the mind-body programs, at baseline and postintervention. The programs used the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Freiburg-Mindfulness Inventory (FMI), Automatic Thought Questionnaire (ATQ), and RAND 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36).

The results showed significant decreases between baseline and postintervention in depression (on BDI-II) and anxiety (on BAI) levels for participants in both groups; however, only participants in the mindfulness group showed significant increases in mindfulness (on FMI) and quality of life and decreases in the frequency of negative thoughts (on ATQ) and significant improvements in some health-related measures (on SF-36; all P < .05). However, a significant difference between the groups existed at postintervention only for limitations due to physical health on the SF-36.

The overall findings suggest that both the programs are effective. Although significant differences existed between the groups only for limitations due to physical health, the significant increases in categories other than anxiety and depression for the mindfulness group suggest that mindfulness can offer a more encompassing intervention for improving psychosomatic well-being, although further research is needed.