A STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA NIDRA ON

BLOOD PRESSURE FOR IT EMPLOYEES

19YGP508P - Project Report [Dissertation]

Submitted by
Arunkrishnan K

[Enrollment No: DA203231010014]

Under Guidance of
Dr. Usha K
SRMIST, KTR

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN YOGA FOR HUMAN EXCELLENCE

DIRECTORATE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION

SRM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND ECHNOLOGY
KATTANKULATHUR- 603 203

July/August- 2022
 DECLARATION BY THE STUDENT

I, ARUNKRISHNAN K [Enrollment No: DA203231010014] hereby

declare that the work which is being presented in the project entitled, “A
STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA NIDRA ON BLOOD PRESSURE
FOR IT EMPLOYEES “in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award
of the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN YOGA FOR HUMAN
EXCELLENCE is my own work carried out by me under the supervision of
Dr.Usha K, SRMIST, KTR during the period June 2022 to August 2022 in
DIRECTORATE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION, SRM
Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur.

The matter presented in this project report has not been submitted
elsewhere for the award of any other degree/diploma. I declare that I have
faithfully acknowledged, given credit to and referred to the research workers
wherever their works have been cited in the text and the body of the project I
further certify that I have not willfully lifted up some other’s work, para, text,
data, results, etc., reported in the journals, books, magazines, reports,
dissertations, theses, etc., or available at web-sites and have not included them
in this project report and cited as my own work.

PLACE : KATTANKULATHUR ARUNKRISHNAN K

DATE :

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 DIRECTORATE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION SRM
INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND ECHNOLOGY
KATTANKULATHUR- 603 203

CERTIFICATE FROM THE GUIDE

This is to certify that the above statement made by the candidate is correct to

the best of my/our knowledge. Certified that a check for plagiarism has been made

on the software available in the University and the contents of project have been

found free from plagiarism within permissible limits.

Signature:
Name: Dr. Usha K

Advisor / DDE

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Firstly, I would like to Thank God for providing me with this opportunity at the right time

and guiding me in the entire program leading to its successful completion.

My hearty thanks to Advisor Prof. Dr. R.RAJAGOPAL, Directorate of Distance

Education, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, for their valuable coordination,
instruction, prompts communication and valuable guidance during the analysis of this project.
I would like to express my sincere thanks to the DIRECTORATE OF DISTANCE

EDUCATION, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur and my Mentor, Dr.

K.Usha, P.hD, for providing me with her valuable advice and suggestions throughout the course of

this work.

I would also like to acknowledge the contribution made by the HCL employees who have

participated in the research.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks to all the people including my

family and friends who have been helping me throughout this time by giving their unending support

(ARUNKRISHNAN K)

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 ABSTRACT
These days the IT sector has become more competitive sector in India and facing great
challenges in terms of technological revolution to serve customers and entry of foreign Projects in
Indian market multiplied the competition, with this reason the IT sector employees are facing more
stress, and this is leading to health disorders. Majority of the employees try to find solution to relieve
them from stress. The objective of the research paper is to explore the role and effectiveness of Yoga
Nidra in mitigating the stress level of the employees at the workplace. This study is based on the
content analysis of the similar research already conducted in the past and the interviews of the
employees practicing Yoga Nidra and has drawn useful inferences regarding the role of Yoga Nidra
in managing the employees' stress at the workplace. It has been found that Yoga Nidra has a great
potential to mitigate the stress level among the people.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
A STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA NIDRA ON BLOOD PRESSURE FOR IT EMPLOYEES ......... 1
DECLARATION BY THE STUDENT ............................................................................................................. 2
CERTIFICATE FROM THE GUIDE ................................................................................................................ 3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.................................................................................................................................. 4
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................................................... 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER – I .................................................................................................................................................... 7
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 7
1.1. IT INDUSTRY ............................................................................................................................... 7
1.2. YOGA ............................................................................................................................................ 8
1.3. BLOOD PRESSURE ................................................................................................................... 11
1.4. STRESS ........................................................................................................................................ 13
1.5. YOGA NIDRA ............................................................................................................................. 14
1.6. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM .................................................................................................... 16
1.7. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY .......................................................................................................... 17
CHAPTER – II ................................................................................................................................................. 19
REVIEW OF LITERATURE ....................................................................................................................... 19
2.1. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ............................................................................................................ 19
2.2. STRESS MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................... 20
2.3. LIMITATIONS ................................................................................................................................. 30
2.4. DELIMITATIONS ............................................................................................................................ 30
CHAPTER – III ................................................................................................................................................ 32
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................. 32
3.1. VARIABLES, DEFENITIONS......................................................................................................... 32
3.2. METHOD .......................................................................................................................................... 32
CHAPTER – IV................................................................................................................................................ 35
ANALYSES AND DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................... 35
4.1. RESULTS.......................................................................................................................................... 35
4.2. DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................................... 41
CHAPTER – V ................................................................................................................................................. 42
5.1 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................. 43
5.2 REFERENCE ..................................................................................................................................... 43

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 CHAPTER – I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. IT INDUSTRY

The information technology (IT) sector includes companies that produce software, hardware or

semiconductor equipment, and companies that provide internet or related services. IT services

includes companies that provide IT consulting or data processing services to other companies.

Finally, software consists of any sort of software for business or consumer use, ranging from

enterprise software and systems software to video games.

Over the past decade, the Information Technology (IT) industry has become one of the fastest

growing industries in India because of which it has caught world attention. India is now being

identified as powerhouse for incremental development of computer software.

There has been spur in the demand of IT in India because of its Breadth of service offerings- Indian

players have focused their energy on building domain competencies and expertise in order to ensure

superior value addition to client’s projects and processes. Service offerings have evolved from low-

end application development to high end integrated IT solutions. Worldwide interest in business

process re-engineering, the economic imperatives in developed countries of outsourcing, cost

efficient maintenance of existing mainframe systems and continuous development of new software

for PCs have played significant roles.

Cost advantage: Improved cost of operations is the key factor for growth in outsourcing. It is

estimated that cost savings for the MNC's are around 20-40% of company's original costs. Apart

from lower administration and labor costs, central & state governments offer fiscal and non-fiscal

benefits to companies adding to further cost advantage.

Quality of processes-India is host to more than 55% of global SEI CMM Level 5firms and is

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expected to host highest number of ISO certified companies.

Abundance of qualified software engineers- Indian software engineers have carved out a name in

world market for providing unbeatable competition of quality software at low cost. With more than

half the million population below 25 yrs India is positioned to meet the swelling demand for IT

professionals. Leading firms add more than 10000 new employees per annum.

1.2. YOGA

The Sanskrit word Yoga comes from the root word Yuja, which means to join or to unite. In the

Indian way of thinking, the world of matter is nothing but a manifestation of cosmic energy. The

aim of human life is to realise the oneness of the self and this universal energy. Yoga, therefore,

means a union of the self with cosmic energy. It was Patañjali who commented most elaborately on

Yoga, in his famous work, Yoga Sutras. Before going on to the eight fold path of Yoga described

by Patanjali, it would be appropriate to discuss some of the concepts that are inherent parts of the

philosophy of the Indian wisdom traditions. The Pança Koşas or Five Sheaths In the Indian wisdom

traditions, are the concept of different levels of consciousness, layers or sheaths called Koşas, in

every living being. The outermost layer is the gross physical body or Annamaya Koya, and then

there are the more subtle layers, such as the Pranamaya Koşa or the sheath of vital energy, the

Manomaya Koşa or the sheath of mind, comprising thoughts, feelings and emotions, the

Vijnanamaya Koşa or the intellectual (and astral) sheath comprising reason, knowledge and the

awareness of the psychic and causal dimensions and finally the layer of pure consciousness, or Sar-

C- Ananda, which is called the Anandamaya Koşa (Swami Satyanandu Saraswati, 1998).The seeker

can progressively dissociate from one sheath and identify with the next. The journey is from the

more gross dimensions of consciousness (Koyas), such as the physical body (the Annamrya Koşa),

then the breath or the layer of vital energy (the Präyamaya Koya), towards the more subtle

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dimensions such as the mind, (he ManomNOa Kosa), the astral (the Vnānamaya Kosa) and finally

To the domain of ever-lasting bliss (the Anandanmaya Kaşa) through practices such as Pränāyäma

(awareness of breath), Dhăraņā (sustaining attention on a determined object), and Dhyäna

(mediation or detached awareness of thoughts and feelings). The end result is that the seeker

realizes that he is not the body. the breath or the mind, but that he exists independently of all these

as pure consciousness, and that he and all other forms of existence are one and the same- the

experience of Tat Tvam Asi (That ThOu Art), Yoga Nidrā is aimed at helping the seeker to "dis-

identify" from the body and realize gradually. that at the level of pure consciousness, we are all

nothing but the same uniled energy, Sul-çit-ānanda (Taimini, 196).

Aşyänga Yogu or the eight fold path

Towards the end of transcending human suffering (that presumably arises out of attachtnent with

the body), and of merging the self with cosmic energy, Patanjali prescribes the eight-fold path of

Räja Yoga. Yamas (moral discipline or social code of conduct), Niyemas (personal rules or self-

restraint) Asanas (postures), Präayamt LControl of Patc or vital encrgV), ratyuhüra (sensory

inhibition) Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (ecstasy) are the eight

stages of Raja Yoga (Swami Satyananda Saraswati, 1998).

According to Damodaran (1967), the origins of philosophical thought in India can be traced back to

the Upanishads and the Vedas, whose dates of their origin are not known. Somewhere between the

seventh and second centuries B.C., out of the many philosophical schools of thought that had begun

to form in India, some developed into full-fledged philosophical systems. Among them were the six

Darşanas, Sāmkhya developed by Kapila, Nyaya by Gautama, Vaişeşika by Kanada, Yoga by

Patanjali, Mimansa (divided into Purva Mimänsä and Uttara Mimänsä by Jaimini, and other

systems such as Lokayata founded by Brihaspati. Vedanta by Bädrayana, Jainism by Vardhamana

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and Buddhism by the Buddha. Though each of these systems has been believed to have been

developed by a founder, these founders are not necessarily the ones who first put forth these

thoughts. Rather the forms of thought which must have existed and speculated upon by in India, for

a long time, were finally oven into concrete philosophical systems by these thinkers. For example,

Vardhamana has been credited with the development of Jainism, but he was the last of twenty-four

Jain saints or Firthankars. Thus he was not the first to put forth the Jain system. Similarly, Yoga, as

a thought existed much before Patailjall finally developed it into a concrete system called Raja

Yoga. Each of these systems offers important slants on the nature of truth, knowledge and the

purpose of life. The early philosophers expounded their systems in short aphorisms, which are

called stras. These aphorisms offer in a condensed form, the essence of their philosophical

doctrines. Though it would be beyond the scope of the present thesis to write about the essence of

each of the Darşanas, mention must be made of the Samkhya Darşana, which arose a little before

Yoga, because they both share a common philosophical base. Kapila, the founder of Samkhya, says

that ignorance avidya is the root cause of human afflictions and suffering, hence, the aim of human

life is the elimination of every kind of pain and sorrow by the acquisition of right knowledge

(Damodaran, 1967). Kapila has explained the nature of truth thus: there are fundamentally two

components of the universe, puruşa, consciousness and prakriti, matter. Consciousness, the way the

Samkhya understands, is different from the Western way of conceptualising it; it is contentless,

formless, non-rational, unchanging and self-luminous (Rao, 2002). By contrast, prakriti is

everything the world of objects is made of. Mind, is assumed in the Samkhya, to be physical, in that

it evolves out of prakriti, and has three functional aspects, buddhi, (intellect), ahamkara (ego), and

manas (the faculty which interacts with material coming from the senses). The sense organs,

indriyas, five fanmătrăs, (essence of sound, touch, form, taste and odor), and finally the five

mahahhutas, (earth, water, fire, air and ether) are all evolved out of matter or prakriti. Buddhi, being

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the highest in this order of evolution, is the interface between consciousness, (puruşa) and matter

(prakriti). When puruşa or consciousness comes into contact with prakriti, through the intellect or

buddhi, conscious mind is formed Cognition thus takes place when there is bondage between

consciousness and matter. But in this process, a misidentification of consciousness with mind takes

place. This is the cause of all human suffering. The aim of human life, therefore, is to realize

consciousness in its pure form, which is that of self-illumination and bliss (Rao, 2002). Yoga offers

a practical way of realising this truth. Whereas in the Samkhya school, there is a detailed discussion

of the nature of truth, Patañjali gives a step by step method of attaining this truth and experiencing a

complete liberation from suffering. Patanjali expounded his system in concise aphorisms called

Yoga Sutras. Apart from this work, explanations of the Yoga can be found in Mahabhäşya, a

commentary on the Yoga Sutras written by Vyasa and later Vaçaspati Misra and Vijana Bhikṣu's

commentaries on the Mahabhayya (Swami Abhedananda, 1967). Patanjali explains the meaning of

Yoga the second aphorism of Yoga Sutras thus: Yogasçittavrittinirodhah (Y.S. I. 2), which means,

Yoga is the restraining the mind-stuff (Citta) from taking various forms. (Swami Vivekananda,

1995). The waves of thought or other transformations that happen in the mind are called Vrittis

(literally "whirlpool"). Yoga is the restraint of these ever fluctuating çitta vrittis. In the next sutra he

says tada drastuh swarupe avasthanam (Y.S. I. 3) [At that time (when due to complete restraint of

the mind the vrittis have subsided and the mind is quiescent), the Seer (puruşa) rests in his own

unmodified state]. He further says that at other times the seer is identified (misconstrued) with the

modifications of the mind (Swami Vivekananda, 1995). To experience the state of pure

consciousness, which is that of existence all knowingness-bliss is the aim of Yoga.

1.3. BLOOD PRESSURE

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The heart supplies the organs and tissues of the body with blood. With every beat, it pumps blood

into the large blood vessels of the circulatory system. As the blood moves around the body, it puts

pressure on the walls of the vessels. Blood pressure readings are made up of two values:

Systolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart beats – while the heart muscle is contracting

(squeezing) and pumping oxygen-rich blood into the blood vessels.

Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure on the blood vessels when the heart muscle relaxes. The

diastolic pressure is always lower than the systolic pressure.

Blood pressure is measured in units of millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The readings are always

given in pairs, with the upper (systolic) value first, followed by the lower (diastolic) value.

Blood pressure is always measured on a number of different days and when at rest. If several of

these measurements are too high, it is said to be having high blood pressure, even if only one of the

two – either the systolic or the diastolic one – is high. The medical term for high blood pressure is

hypertension.

Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. It is known as the "silent killer" since

it has no initial symptoms but can lead to long-term disease and complications. The heart pumps

blood into the arteries with enough force to push blood to the far reaches of each organ from the top

of the head to the bottom of the feet. Blood pressure can be defined as the pressure of blood on the

walls of the arteries as it circulates through the body. Blood pressure is highest as its leaves the

heart through the aorta and gradually decreases as it enters smaller and smaller blood vessels

(arteries, arterioles, and capillaries). Blood returns in the veins leading to the heart, aided by gravity

and muscle contraction

A person is considered to have high blood pressure if the systolic value is over 140 mmHg, the

diastolic value is over 90 mmHg, or if both are higher than these readings. High blood pressure

itself usually goes unnoticed. Only if it is extremely high can it sometimes result in symptoms like

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dizziness or trouble seeing. Over the long term, high blood pressure increases risk of cardiovascular

problems like heart attacks, strokes, and heart and kidney failure.

Blood pressure can be measured using a digital blood pressure monitor for automated readings or an

instrument called a sphygmomanometer for manual readings.

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. Blood pressure has two

components-the systolic pressure (It is the force that blood exerts on the artery walls when the heart

is pumping) over the diastolic pressure (it is the residual force that remains when the heart relaxes

between beats). The measurement is written one above or before the other, with the systolic number

on top and the diastolic number on the bottom. For example, a blood pressure measurement of

130/85 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) is expressed verbally as "130 over 85."

Blood pressure varies from person to person and by ages. In general:

Normal blood pressure is less than 130 mm Hg systolic and less than 85 mm Hg diastolic. Optimal

blood pressure is less than 120 mm Hg systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic.

1.4. STRESS

Stress Management is more important in now-a-days in the service, financial and banking.

There is no such thing like stress free job. Everyone in their work is exposed to tension and anxiety

as they gets through the duties assigned to them. Banking industry plays important role in the

developing the country’s economy is not an exceptional one. The job nature of banking employees

is very tedious as it involves the direct customer interaction in all levels.1 This research focus on a

large number of bankers are facing high level of stress because of their job and the reasons behind

this stress include long working hours, heavy work load, improper reward system, lack of job

autonomy, organizational culture, role conflict, lack of management support to employees, etc. The

employees can notice a number of symptoms indicating high level stress among them. However if

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these symptoms are not noticed in early Stage, they can cause serious health problems among

employees such as depression, heart problems, diabetes etc. Not only health but personal life of

bankers are also being affected because of high job stress, most employees are unable to spend time

at home or with family. However, with the help of proper management techniques by management,

the bankers stress level can be reduced to great extent. The word stress‟ is in such popular use today

that it has come to mean different things to different people. It is said that competition is too much

stress‟ to hassle with, that one works in a high stress‟ environment or that technology stresses us

out. In these contexts, it can be seen that the word „stress‟ has evolved to refer to both the source of

some event and the reaction to it.

Stress can be triggered by both desirable and undesirable events in life. Stress resulting from

desirable events is called Eustress (good stress). Eustress is pleasant and has curative effects. On the

other hand, stress resulting from undesirable events is called Distress (bad stress).

Distress has bad effects on the individuals concerned. Stress cannot result from any opportunity

/ challenge / constraint / demand, whatsoever, unless its outcome is perceived to be both important

and uncertain at the same time. Stress is a part of our everyday life. Moderate level of stress is in

fact necessary for an individual to stay alert and active. High level of stress, on the other hand,

would lead to impairment of human wellbeing and performance. Stress is additive. It is necessary to

prevent spiraling of stress to contain it within a reasonable limit for harnessing its benefits, while

avoiding its perils.

1.5. YOGA NIDRA

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 Yoga Nidra (Sanskrit for Yogic Sleep) is a powerful Yogic technique from the Tantra Yoga

tradition. Yoga Nidra is probably best-known technique to induce complete physical, mental and

emotional relaxation. Yoga Nidra is a state of consciousness, which is, neither sleep nor awaken,

neither is it concentration nor hypnotism. It can be defined, as an altered state of consciousness It is

both a name of a state and of a practice which creates an altered state of consciousness allowing the

practitioner to relax and heal their being, expand their faculty of imagination, enter the realm of

subconscious & super-conscious, effectively manifest seemingly magical changes in their life.

Swami Satyananda Saraswati (2002) explains Yoga Nidra as a state of mind between

wakefulness and dream. When someone practices Yoga Nidra he opens the deeper phases of the

mind. During the practice of Yoga Nidra the consciousness is at different levels and the

consciousness is suspended for a few moments periodically, which means that it alternates between

the subconscious and unconscious states. Few studies have been conducted to examine the

effectiveness of Yoga Nidra on stress related to psychological and psychosomatic disorders.

Towards the aim of self-realization, Patanjali outlined the eight-stage path of Raja Yoga. The

first four stages of this path are preparatory, while the latter four are progressively higher and

subtler meditation practices. (A more complete description of the stages of Yoga is given in the next

chapter). The fourth stage of Yoga is Pratyahara or withdrawing the mind from external

distractions. Yoga Nidra is a technique that fulfils in this category of meditation practices. It is a

relaxation procedure, propounded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati from Bihar School of Yoga. It is

a method of complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation that can be easily learnt and

practiced by the most inexperienced meditator. It is a combination of resolve making, deep muscle

relaxation, breathing exercises and imagery. A detailed description of the practice is given in

chapter II.

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 1.6. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Stress produces numerous physical and mental symptoms which vary according to each

individual situational factor. These can include physical health decline as well as depression. Stress

is an individual’s response to a disturbing factor in the environment and the consequence of such

relation. “Stress is an adaptive response to an external situation that results in physical (or)

psychological and/or behavioral deviations for organizational participants”.

Stress directly shows its impact on employee’s work that ultimately affects the organization

endurance. Due to heavy stress, the employees unable to pay their attention on work & family, and

as a result they can’t provide the best productivity to the organization which affects the work life

balance as well.

Stress is one of the common prevailing factors faced by every individual. Stress has become a

serious health problem in twentieth century. Stress not only affects the individuals but also affects

their work, family and harms mental and physical health. Stress which can be positive and negative

when it is positive it creates confidence and power to achieve something when there is a negative

stress it creates depression. Work stress it is involved in all fields but when compared to the

employees of other fields the stress faced by IT professionals are comparatively large. The IT sector

is the fast developing sector among all field in the country. The contribution of IT sector to the GDP

is nearly 7.7% proves that IT sector plays an important role in the Indian economy. It is necessary to

closely analyse the stress faced by employees is comparatively large than any other employees is

comparatively large than the other employees who are employees in various sectors. When the job

is incomplete and job cannot be completed within the stipulated time stress arises this is one form of

stress. Occupations can request a great deal and particular due dates of when things should be

finished. A few employments expect the people to have something other than duty. Client meeting

due dates and being mindful of different errands can be a bit worrying on occasion. Usually the

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stress arises in software companies because of employees’ nature of work night shifts,

achievements, targets and work overload. Stress in the organization originates the demand for the

organization that re experienced by every people in the industry which focusing on the stress of

women faced by employees. The people who are employed in IT sector faces a lot of health

problems due to work overload as a result they face a lot of physical and mental stress

1.7. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

To find out any significant and positive changes on Hypertension among IT professionals on

performing ‘Yoga Nidra’ and relaxation of ‘Yoga Nidra’ relaxes the physical as well as mental

stresses as it relaxes the whole nervous system. Analyze and study the employees with mild to

moderate anxiety and depressive symptoms improve significantly with 'Yoga Nidra' intervention.

Though stress has been increasing for the past few decades and has been shown to be an

important factor in the occurrence of a number of disorders, most of them chronic in nature, such as

hypertension, diabetes, ulcers and cancer, the medical model has not been effective in alleviating

these disorders as much as it has been effective in eradicating certain infectious diseases (Glazier,

1973). Hence there is a need to look at human diseases from a more holistic perspective, taking into

account the influence of the mind over the body, and exploring treatments, which are aimed at

holistic healing rather than physical cure. People who seek such treatment are, most of the time,

patients who suffer severe stress-related problems, and have tried various medicines in vain. Hence,

Yoga, and other forms of healing practices are increasingly being looked upon as curative rather

than preventive treatments. But it is important to understand that they are not, in essence, therapies,

nor can they replace medicine, but that they should be made a part of one's routine when one is

healthy, in order to remain healthy, rather than turning to them after the body becomes disease-

ridden. For this reason, in the present study, normal working people with hypertension were

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selected as participants. Though Western relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle

relaxation and systematic desensitization and some eastern ones such as mindfulness meditation

have received attention from researchers, very little research has been done on Yoga Nidrā, using

adequate samples and control groups. Since this technique is simple for even the beginning

practitioners, it can easily be implemented in work settings. Therefore, careful research in this area

has a lot of social significance.

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 CHAPTER – II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.1. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Rani et al. (2011) investigated the impact of Yoga Nidra on psychological well-being in patients

with menstrual irregularities in Chattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University, Lucknow. The

authors studied the association of menstrual symptoms with anxiety and depression in female

students. The frequent occurrence of one menstrual symptom cause discomfort affecting the

Performance. The practice of Yoga Nidra has been reported to relieve pain associated with

dysmenorrhea and excessive level of premenstrual tension. The participants in the Yoga Nidra

program had found to be decreased level of anxiety, depression and increased positive well-being,

general health and vitality compared with the control group.

Mandlik et al. (2002) investigated the effect of Yoga Nidra on the activity of brain with the help

of Electro-Encephalograph (EEG). Initially EEG showed Beta activity prominently with

intermittent Alpha activity. With the advancement of Yoga Nidra, Beta activity was slowly replaced

by Alpha activity and still further by smooth well-formed Alpha activity. After 30 sessions of Yoga

Nidra gain of alpha activity was better and with further advancement of Yoga Nidra intermittent

Theta activity was noted intermixed with alpha activity suggestive of deep state of relaxation. EEG

measures minute electrical activity in the brain in the form of waves. The frequency of brain

activity waves has been shown to alter according to the state of consciousness and state of mind the

subject is in. Beta activity is normally noted in the awake working state. With physical relaxation

beta activity is taken up by alpha activity, and as the person goes into different stages of sleep the

activity changes to theta and also may exhibit delta activity in deep sleep.

Sharma et al. (2005) observed that practice of Yoga brings a harmony in psychophysiology of

xix
the practitioners. Deuskar et. al. (2006) found a significant change in the Performance of archers

due to the practice of Yoga Nidra. The result shows that Yoga Nidra positively decreases the stress

level of the male and female subjects both.

Kumar (2008) reported the effectiveness of Yoga Nidra in curing the psychological disorders

like anxiety, hostility, insomnia etc. and psychosomatic diseases like Asthma, coronary heart

diseases, cancer, hypertensions etc. In the study it has been found that the practice of Yoga Nidra

decrease the stress and anxiety level of the students of higher class in Dev Sanskriti

Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar.

2.2. STRESS MANAGEMENT

2.2.1 Stress and Nervous system

Sensory inputs coming from the external world are relayed to the frontal lobes of the brain and

then to the limbic system as mentioned above. The limbic system is important in the formation of

behavioural responses to stressful events. But events themselves are not the only cause of stress. As

described by the Lazarus and Folkman (1984) model, it is the individual's appraisal of the external

events that determines to what degree he or she will perceive it as stressful. So, our own thoughts

and ruminations about the events determine to a large degree the kind of activity that goes on in the

limbic system and in the frontal lobes. Schulkin, McEwen and Gold (1994) describe how we may

agonise over past or future events and how this mental activity generates the same responses in the

frontal lobes of the brain as well as in the limbic structures as if we were confronting a genuine

threat. This provides a close answer to how our own thoughts and ideas get converted into physical

symptoms.

2.2.2 Stress and the endocrine system

The amygdala is also closely connected to the hypothalamus, especially an area called by Smith

and his colleagues as HACER (Hypothalamic Area Controlling Emotional Responses) (Smith et al.,

xx
1993). From the hypothalamus, numerous endocrinal and autonomic outputs result. The

paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus gets activated and secretes corticotropin releasing

factor (CRF), CRF in turn causes secretion of B endorphin and adrenocorticotropic hormone

(ACTH) by the anterior pituitary and then secretion of cortisol by the adrenal cortex. Cortisol has a

number of effects on the periphery, in terms of stress responses. The important functions served by

cortisol during times of stress are, catecholamine synthesis, enhancing the effects of epinephrine,

immune system function, and glucose production. All these responses are what we call the body's

"fight or flight" response (Lovallo, 1997). The entire endocrine system, controlled by the pituitary

gland, is adversely affected due to chronic stress. Diabetes, for instance, is a chronic disorder of the

endocrine system, in which the body is not able to manufacture or properly use insulin (Taylor,

1999). Insulin, the hormone produced by the pancreas, controls the conversion of sugar and

carbohydrates into energy. In diabetes, either enough insulin is not produced (Type I diabetes) or

the body is not sufficiently responsive to insulin (Type II). The diabetic patient faces two types of

blood sugar problems, hypoglycemia, a low blood sugar level, or hyperglycemia, a high blood sugar

level (Taylor, 1999). Prolonged stress has been shown to adversely affect the metabolism of

glucose, especially in patients with Type Il diabetes (Surwit & Schneider, 1993), C Stress and the

immune system The task of the immune system is to identify foreign materials in the body and

infectious agents and rid the body of these agents. The body is in constant contact with infectious

agents that could compromise health and the immune system is constantly at work ridding the body

of these infectious agents. Leukocytes or white blood cells are the most important and the most

widely known aspect of the immune system. A subgroup of leukocytes important in the study of

psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is called lymphocytes. These are highly specialized cells that attack

specific cells that the body identifies as non-self. PNI studies the effects of psychological factors on

the immune system by collecting blood samples and investigating the efficacy of the immune

xxi
system in identifying and destroying foreign bodies. Thus immune response becomes the dependent

variable. During times of stress, there is an arousal of the hypothalamus-pituitary- adrenal (HPA)

complex, leading to the release of Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and glucocorticoids.

Evidence suggests that glucorticoids suppress mitogen induced lymphocyte stimulation and lead to

a redistribution of T cells, a subgroup of immune cells, from blood to the bone marrow (Stein &

Miller, 1993). Thus the quantity of lymphocytes reduces during stress, rendering the individual

more susceptible to illness (Dantzer & Kelley, 1989). But the interaction of the immune system

with stress is extremely complex and stress may either suppress or enhance immune function, under

different conditions (Dantzer & Kelley, 1989). Therefore such a study becomes difficult to carry

out. Another related parameter, which is simple to measure, is anaemia. Anemia is a deficiency in

the amount of hemoglobin in the body's red blood cells. A deficiency in hemoglobin leads to a

decrease in the ability of the blood to transport oxygen from the lungs to the other parts of the body.

Symptoms may include headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath and lethargy. When anaemia goes

unchecked, it can cause permanent damage to the nervous system and produce chronic weakness

and susceptibility to disease (Taylor, 1999. In the present study, haemoglobin has been considered

as one of the parameters of immunity or resistance to stress.

2.2.3 Relaxation technique

Relaxation has been the most widely researched topic in the area of alternative medicine to

counteract the effects of stress. Relaxation techniques reduce arousal in the central as well as the

autonomic nervous system, thereby restoring or promoting physical as well as psychological well

being. Exactly how relaxation works to reduce stress is not fully known. One of the theoretical

explanations comes from McGuigan (1984). He says that the mind and the body are two complex

interacting systems directly influencing each other. Thus, whenever we think, we begin by tensing

the muscles of the eyes and the speech regions. Similarly during times of emotion, there is a tension

xxii
in selected muscles of the body, by learning to control muscle tension, we can learn to control

mental activity and emotion, via changes in the activation of neuromuscular circuits. Wolpe (1982)

suggests that in deep muscle relaxation, a state is produced in the autonomic activity that is

physiologically incompatible with anxiety. So to the extent that a person's problems are due to

anxiety, he can learn to control them through relaxation. Various methods of relaxation such as

progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, tai

chi, imagery and so on, are being looked upon as effective stress management techniques. In all

these practices, attention is focused on awareness itself, detaching oneself from the usual complete

identification with the contents of awareness (Copyright, 1997). Smith (2001) sums up the principle

of all relaxation practices thus: "the act of sustaining passive simple focus and says that though

difficult, once this act is achieved, it leads to healing through a process of withdrawal, recovery

from tension and finally opening up to the world, refreshed. Many of these methods of healing have

been offered by ancient philosophical schools or "wisdom traditions", as they are called, which are

profound forms of thought devoted to the understanding of human nature, life, and the alleviation of

human suffering. Therefore, increasing attention has been paid, in recent years, to the various curing

or better, healing practices offered by these traditions to promote health and well-being. Yoga is

among some such traditions, and has offered numerous techniques of promoting health, well-being

and spiritual growth. Since the topic of the present study, Yoga Nidrā, belongs to this Indian

tradition, a brief overview of the Indian wisdom traditions is given in the paragraphs below, to place

Yoga in its context.

2.3. YOGA NIDRA CONCEPT

Nidra means sleep. The word Yoga Nidra therefore is literally translated as yogic sleep. This word does not

appear in Patañjali's treatise, but was coined by Swami Satyananda Saraswati from Bihar School of Yoga,

Munger, Bihar, India. In his book of Yoga Nidrā, he describes his own experience of how he learnt Sanskrit

xxiii
verses that were chanted while he used to be asleep and how this intriguing experience led him to realise that

a part of human consciousness is receptive even while one is asleep. He then developed a technique in which

one learns to relax the body and the mind systematically while remaining completely aware, and also to

harness the creative potential of the mind by making use of imagery and a resolve. Taken together, this

technique came to be called Yoga Nidra (Swami Satyananda Saraswati, 1998).

Yoga Nidra the consciousness is at different levels and the consciousness is suspended for a few moments

periodically, which means that it alternates between the subconscious and unconscious states. Few studies

have been conducted to examine the effectiveness of Yoga Nidra on stress related to psychological and

psychosomatic disorders.

BENEFITS
• Everyone can practice. Even beginners who have no experience with meditation.

• Physical stresses and tensions are removed.

• Mental stresses and unwanted impressions are removed.

• Emotional balance is restored.

• The faculties of imagination and visualization are practiced and enhanced.

• The subconscious is focused on and able to manifest any personal goal be it physical

It can assist in the achievement of a state of so-called self-realization (complete self-awareness). Yoga Nidra

helps in restoring mental, emotional and physical health by way of relaxation, and makes the mind more

conducive to Pratyahara - withdrawing senses from their objects, Dharana - concentration, and meditation. The

practice helps harmonize the two hemispheres of the brain and the two aspects of the autonomous nervous

system (sympathetic and parasympathetic).

2.3.1 The Tantric origin of Yoga Nidra

In the Tantras", there is a practice of systematically moving the consciousness from one body part to the

other, called Nyasa. In this practice, the practitioner reaches different parts of the body mentally, in other

xxiv
words takes his consciousness to different parts of the body and places a mantra at that point. Nyasa is a

means of consecrating the physical body, by instilling higher awareness or divine consciousness in the

various parts of the body (Swami Janakananda, 1998). Swami Satyananda Saraswati based his technique on

this concept of Nyasa. That is why an important part of the process of Yoga Nidra comprises taking the mind

or consciousness to various parts of the body and consciously letting go of the tensions accumulated in those

parts.

2.3.2 Stages of Yoga Nidrā

The practice of Yoga Nidra begins with a prayer. Prayer is a means of quieting the mind. Usually the mantra

Om is repeated three times before the practice.

The supine position is considered ideal for the practice of Yoga Nidrā because in this position, the strain on

the body (including that of maintaining equilibrium) is minimised. The study of Yoga Nidrā, is usually done

with closed eyes. Thus, the largest source of distractions, the visual channel, is blocked. Instructions are

given to lie down in such a position that one's body do not touch any other object. In order to minimise tile

distraction, the limbs are kept apart so that they do not touch each other. Fingertips are especially sensitive to

touch. So in Yoga Nidra the palms are kept facing upwards, with the fingers lightly curled in the most

comfortable pose. Internal distractions cannot be fully controlled, but they can be minimised by avoiding

practice after an especially heavy meal or when the body is fatigued or ill at ease.

Constant input from the muscles to the brain, about their state of contraction or expansion is also a source of

distraction. This is minimised by keeping the body in a position of optimum relaxation.

In Yoga Nidra, sleep does not mean relaxation. The relaxation in Yoga Nidra is conscious relaxation. Hence

the instructions are not given at too slow a pace, lest the practitioner fall asleep. There are dual advantages of

this pace of delivering instructions. One, the mind remains alert and two it gets trained to follow only the

instructions one-pointedly and nothing else. It comes close in this aspect to hypnosis,where the subject

follows the instructions of the hypnotist only. A simple exercise done in the beginning is to take a deep

breath and feel the vital energy from outside fill one's body. While exhaling, one is asked to imagine that all

one's tensions and worries are flowing out of one's body. This helps the practitioner to relax and thereby

xxv
enhances receptivity to instructions. As an important prelude to the practice, one is asked to listen to sounds

coming from a distance without thinking about them, and then to gradually bring the attention to sounds

coming from within the room, and then to only follow the voice of the instructor. This small exercise helps

the mind to rid itself of auditory distractions, to become supple and receptive to instructions. Alert awareness

coupled with relaxation is important in the practice.

At the beginning of the practice the practitioner is asked to make a resolve (Sankalpa). The resolve is a short

positive mental statement, especially suited to the practitioner's needs. It could be something about health,

interpersonal relationships, short term or long term life goals, or spiritual needs. But it should be short,

positive and achievable. The practitioner should be given enough time before the practice to think about a

resolve and it is advisable not to change the statement everyday, but to keep repeating it for several sessions.

In the beginning of the practice, the mind is not only aware, but is operating at a heightened level of

awareness. It is at this stage that the resolve or Sankalpa is made. After the entire sequence of muscle

relaxation, breathing exercises and imagery, when the mind is maximally suggestible, the resolve is recalled,

in exactly the same words, and repeated mentally with feeling and emphasis. According to Swami

Satayananda Saraswati, this way of making the resolve is very effective because at the end of the practice,

the conscious mind is deeply relaxed and the unconscious mind, highly receptive. Hence the resolve gets

deeply implanted in the unconscious mind and comes true much like a post-hypnotic suggestion (Swami

Satyananda Saraswati, 1998).

The 8 stages of the Yoga Nidra practice include:

A) Internalization / Relaxation – Preliminary preparation of the body.

B) Affirmation (Sankalpa) – A personal goal previously decided upon is declared silently.

C) Rotation of Consciousness – The consciousness is taken on a tour of the whole body in a structured

fashion.

D) Respiration awareness – A period of awareness of the breath at special positions in the body.

E) Manifestations of Opposites – Pairs of feelings and emotions are experienced.

xxvi
F) Creative Visualization – Various Archetypal images are visualized mentally.

G) Affirmation- Sankalpa is repeated and, now in a highly suggestible state of consciousness, is programmed

into the subconscious mind.

H) Return to Full Awareness – A careful and gradual return to a normal state.

2.3.3 Deep Muscle Relaxation

Deep muscle relaxation in Yoga Nidra follows a fixed pattern. Starting from the right thumb, each finger,

hand and reaching the little toe of the right foot, then the left thumb to the left toe, then the back, the front

and finally to the head and each of the facial features. According to Swami Satyananda Saraswati, rotation of

consciousness in this order is in keeping with the representation of the body in the brain and allows to

establish "a flow of pranic energy, within the neural circuit of the motor homunculus.

This flow is accompanied by a subjective experience of relaxation, release or 'letting go', as spontaneous

dissociation of consciousness from the sensory and motor channels of experience occurs." (Swami

Satyananda Saraswati, 1998).

Physiological evidence for this order comes from a study by Penfield and Rasmussen (1950). According to

them, the human body is represented in the brain in a certain way. An unusually large area in the brain is

devoted to sensations coming from the palms, fingers and the face. A comparatively smaller area is devoted

to the legs and a very small area to sensations coming from the intra-abdominal areas. This pattern is

common to both the somatosensory cortex as well as the motor cortex of the parietal lobe of the brain. This

lobe is specialized to deal with body information, including touch, muscle-stretch receptors, and joint

receptors.

The speed of the instructions is moderate, allowing the practitioner to follow them and yet remain alert.

Swami Satyananda Saraswati calls this process the rotation of consciousness.

2.3.4 Awareness of the Breath

Towards the end of the rotation of consciousness, there is already a sort of dissociation or disengagement

from the gross physical body and the practitioner is ready for the next stage. Breathing exercises in Yoga

xxvii
Nidra do not involve controlling the breath but a simple, passive observation of breath at various locations

such as the navel area (as abdominal breathing is considered a sure sign of relaxation), the throat and the tip

of the nose. Greater relaxation and awareness is attained by counting the breaths simultaneously.

2.3.5 Evoking sensations

Breathing exercises are a means of getting in touch with the Pranamaya Koşa, and gradually the practitioner

is led to dissociate with the Pranamaya Koşa and go on to the Manomaya Koşa or the domain of sensation

and feelings. An important component of Yoga Nidra is the practice of evoking opposite sensations such as

warmth and cold, lightness and heaviness, pleasure and pain, in quick succession. This exercise is aimed at

bringing about catharsis on the emotional plane as intense feelings are evoked, relived and then released. It

also helps develop will power and equanimity.

In the words of Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1998), this practice brings into simultaneous operation, nerve

circuits in the opposite hemispheres of the brain, which, under normal circumstances, never operate at the

same time. Thus a new neuronal circuit is established which incorporat two previously irreconcilable states

of awareness simultaneously, e.g.. love and hatred, pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow.

This occurs in such a way that relaxation and witness awareness of the conflicting and contrasting emotional

reactions are maintained." (Swami Satyananda Saraswati. 1998).

With prolonged practice, the practitioner can develop a detached attitude in the face of various events in life,

which would otherwise evoke attachment or aversion. This detached awareness is also accompanied by an

increasing experience of inner peace and bliss or Anandam.

2.3.6 Imagery

Imagery in Yoga Nidra is used either to programme the mind for future stressful events or to help it relax

fully and get in touch with various dimensions of the personality that remain blocked from consciousness.

The practitioner is urged to visualise certain images in as much detail as possible, making use of past

experiences, emotions attached to the events described and creative imagination. The images usually chosen

xxviii
are landscapes, oceans, mountains, Om, or the çakras because such images are powerful psychic symbols.

Sometimes events specially related to the practitioner's problems may be chosen. For instance, in Yoga Nidra

for anxious students, the imagery used is of the student preparing for the examination, writing the paper well

and finally succeeding. Pregnant women are asked to visualise an uneventful normal delivery and the birth of

a healthy, happy child. Such a practice purges the mind of disturbing or painful material and self-doubts, and

helps achieve greater relaxation.

2.3.7 Recalling the resolve and reawakening

After the process of visualisation, the mind is deeply relaxed and most receptive. It is at this time that the

resolve is recalled. This is a powerful method of autosuggestion.

After this, the practitioner is brought back to normal consciousness very gradually, Reawakening follows a

reverse pattern of first becoming aware of the breath, then of the body and finally of the surroundings. In the

case of people who experience a slight headache after the practice, an additional few minutes are given to

help them come back to normal consciousness.

2.3.8 Additional Comments

During the normal sequential pattern of descent from wakefulness to deep sleep the brainwave frequency

changes from fast beta waves (above 14 cycles per second), to theta waves (4-7 cycles per second) and lastly

to delta waves (0-4 cycles per second).

The difference between normal sleep and Yoga Nidra is that in Yoga Nidră an intermediate platform of alpha

wave predominance (7-14 cycles per second) associated with relaxation is created between the beta wave

patterns of the wakeful state and the slow delta rhythm of deep sleep. The result is the discharge of mental,

emotional and muscular tensions (Swami Mangalteertham, 1998).

2.3.9 Instructions and Precautions

Yoga Nidra can be practised any time during the day, but preferably when the mind is alert and not drowsy

xxix
or lethargic due to a heavy meal. So the ideal time for the practice is either in the morning, or in the evening,

three hours after the midday meal. Yoga Nidra can be practised by anyone, and it is not contraindicated for

people suffering from any disease or disorder.

It can be practised under the supervision of an instructor, or with a tape. For advanced practitioners, it can be

done without guidance or a tape.

The room should be neither too dark, as this may induce sleep, nor too bright. as it may hinder relaxation. It

should ideally be dimly lit.

The practitioner should lie down on mattress, or a firm bed, and cover the body at least up to the knees, with

a light blanket. This is ideal because the body temperature drops during relaxation, and the practitioner may

feel cold.

The person's body should not touch any other object as this may distract his or her attention.

The practitioner should wear light clothes and remove spectacles, wristwatch or belt, or any other form of

tight clothing, or anything that could be uncomfortable during practice.

Tension usually accumulates in the muscles while working. So, if Yoga Nidra is practised after a hectic

working day, some stretching exercises that help loosen the muscles and joints are especially useful before

the practice of Yoga Nidrā.

2.3. LIMITATIONS

The study was limited in the following aspects.

1. No attempt was made to validate the subjects past medical history
2. Certain factors like lifestyle, body structure, personal habits, and family heredity were
not taken into consideration for this study.
3. The dietary and food habits and medication of the subjects will not be controlled

2.4. DELIMITATIONS

The following delimitations were taken into consideration in the interpretation of results:
1. The study was confined to IT employees who were Hyper tensed.
2. The age of the subjects was ranging from 30 to 40 years only.
xxx
3. The total numbers of subjects were 40 Hyper tensed, in which 20 for control group,
20 for experimental group were taken for the study.
4. The subjects were experimentally treated with Yoga Nidra practices only.
5. The study was conducted on dependent variables such as Resting pulse rate, Systolic
blood pressure, Diastolic blood pressure, Aggression and Stress only.
6. The Duration of training program will be three weeks only

xxxi
 CHAPTER – III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1. VARIABLES, DEFENITIONS

The independent variable in the present study was Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra as a yogic
relaxation technique, comprising resolve-making, deep muscle relaxation, breathing exercise and
imagery.
The dependent variable was stress. For the purpose of the present study, the interactional
definition of the stress given by Lazarus and Folkman (1984) was accepted. According to them
stress is a phenomenon that occurs when there are demands on the person, which tax or exceed his
adjustive resources

3.2. METHOD
The following method was used to study the role and significance of Yoga Nidra in mitigating
the stress.

3.2.1 Sample

The study was conducted to 20 employees who work on a critical project and was not already
trained on Yoga. The subjects were grouped as Group1 and Group2, and instructions about the
technique of Yoga Nidra were given only to Group1. All subjects participated in the present study are
Men ranging from 30 to 40 years only.

The design of the study was:

X -------------- 3 weeks of Yoga Nidra -------------- Y (Experimental Group)

X ------------- Did not perform Yoga Nidra ------- Y (Control Group)

X: Pre-test
Y: Post-test

xxxii
 3.2.2 Tools

The Physiological measures are: Blood Pressure

The Psychological measures are: Pre-Test and Post – Test

3.2.3 Procedures

There were three parts in the procedure: pre-test, intervention and post-test

Pre-Test:
The subjects were tested for blood-pressure. Initially blood pressure test was conducted
randomly to employees and only 20 subjects were taken who are reported with high blood pressure.
Blood pressure was measured by electronic instrument and the measurement was taken three days
and the average was calculated, for a reliable score.
Subjects who were found to be initially low on blood pressure and who were known patients of
low blood pressure were screened out.

Intervention:
The subjects in the experimental group were given brief introduction to the procedure of Yoga
Nidra before the study began. They practiced Yoga Nidra daily for 3 weeks, 2 times a day in a quiet
room and Recordings of BP was taken weekly once for three consecutive weeks on 29th June 2022,
13th JUNE 2022 and 06th JULY 2022.

Post-Test
Both the groups were tested again after three weeks on the blood pressure.

3.2.4. Limitations

The study was limited in the following aspects.

1. No attempt was made to validate the subjects past medical history
2. Certain factors like lifestyle, body structure, personal habits, and family heredity were
not taken into consideration for this study.
3. The dietary and food habits and medication of the subjects will not be controlled

xxxiii
3.2.5. Delimitations

The following delimitations were taken into consideration in the interpretation of results:
1. The study was confined to IT employees who were Hyper tensed.
2. The age of the subjects was ranging from 30 to 40 years only.
3. The total numbers of subjects were 40 Hyper tensed, in which 20 for control group,
20 for experimental group were taken for the study.
4. The subjects were experimentally treated with Yoga Nidra practices only.
5. The study was conducted on dependent variables such as Resting pulse rate, Systolic
blood pressure, Diastolic blood pressure, Aggression and Stress only.
6. The Duration of training program will be three weeks only

xxxiv
 CHAPTER – IV
ANALYSES AND DISCUSSION

4.1. RESULTS

Data were obtained from 20 working men ranging from 30 to 40 years to study the effects of
intervention through Yoga Nidra on stress. There were two groups with 10 in experimental group
and 10 in control group. Initially blood pressure test was conducted randomly to many employees
and only 20 subjects were taken who are reported with high blood pressure

Weekly Consolidated Table for Group1 Employees

Week1 BP Week2 BP Week3 BP Average BP

# Name Age Group
Systolic Diastolic Systolic Diastolic Systolic Diastolic Systolic Diastolic

1 Jeevanandam 33 Group1 140 90 138 89 134 87 137 89

2 Nafeez Mohammed 38 Group1 143 89 140 88 133 84 139 87

3 Deepak R 32 Group1 141 95 140 92 135 90 139 92

4 Krishna Kumar 38 Group1 140 95 139 94 136 92 138 94

5 Rajesh 35 Group1 150 92 148 90 142 89 147 90

6 Anantha Murugan 35 Group1 145 90 140 90 136 88 140 89

7 Hari Krishnan 39 Group1 148 97 144 95 138 90 143 94

8 Ranjith K P 34 Group1 140 90 138 89 132 88 137 89

9 Sudharsan 30 Group1 145 92 140 90 128 80 138 87

10 Kenson 37 Group1 142 95 140 88 129 89 137 91

xxxv
 Weekly Consolidated Table for Group2 Employees

Week1 BP Week2 BP Week3 BP Average BP

# Name Age Group

Systolic Diastolic Systolic Diastolic Systolic Diastolic Systolic Diastolic

1 Shivaraj 35 Group2 150 92 151 94 150 91 150 92

2 Saravanan 35 Group2 142 90 142 89 143 91 142 90

3 Kumar 32 Group2 141 95 140 94 139 95 140 95

4 Siva Prasad 38 Group2 145 92 144 90 144 91 144 91

5 Raja 33 Group2 151 95 152 95 153 94 152 95

6 Venkat 32 Group2 142 90 142 91 143 95 142 92

7 Shankar 39 Group2 148 96 150 98 148 97 149 97

8 Mohan 38 Group2 142 89 142 90 142 85 142 88

Viswa
9 37 Group2 143 90 144 91 144 92 144 91
Prasath
10 Shri Ram 31 Group2 140 96 141 94 140 91 140 94

From the above tables, taking the Average Blood Pressure for Week1, Wee2 and Week3 shows

xxxvi
there is an improvement in the Systolic and Diastolic reading for Group1 when compared to
Group2.

1600
1445
1395
1400

1200

1000 925
902

800

600

400

200

0
Group1 Group2

Average Systolic Average Diastolic

Systolic Blood Pressure weekly comparison for Group 1 Employees

xxxvii
 155
150
150 148 148
145 145
145 144
143
142 142
141
140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140
140 139
138 138 138
136 136
135
135 134
133
132

130 129
128

125

120

115

Week1 - Systolic Week2 - Systolic Week3 - Systolic

Employee Group1 Week1 - Systolic Week2 - Systolic Week3 - Systolic

Anantha Murugan 145 140 136

Deepak R 141 140 135

Hari Krishnan 148 144 138

Jeevanandam R 140 138 134

Kenson 142 140 129

Krishna Kumar 140 139 136

Nafeez Mohammed 143 140 133

Rajesh 150 148 142

Ranjith K P 140 138 132

Sudharsan A N 145 140 128

Diastolic Blood Pressure weekly comparison for Group 1 Employees

xxxviii
 120

100 95 9795 95 9594

909088 9290 90 9089 92 9290 908988 9290
87 8889 8988 89
84
80
80

60

40

20

Week1 - Diastolic Week2 - Diastolic Week3 - Diastolic

Employees Group1 Week1 - Diastolic Week2 - Diastolic Week3 - Diastolic

Anantha Murugan 90 90 88
Deepak R 95 92 90
Hari Krishnan 97 95 90
Jeevanandam R 90 89 87
Kenson 95 88 89
Krishna Kumar 95 94 92
Nafeez Mohammed 89 88 84
Rajesh 92 90 89
Ranjith K P 90 89 88
Sudharsan A N 92 90 80

xxxix
Systolic Blood Pressure weekly comparison for Group 2 Employees

155
153
152
151 151
150 150 150
150
148 148

145
145 144
144 144
144
143 143 143
142
142
142 142
142 142
142
141 141
140 140 140
140 139

135

130
Kumar Mohan Raja Saravanan Shankar Shivaraj Shri Ram Siva Venkat Viswa
Prasad Prasath

Week1 Systolic Week2 Systolic Week3 Systolic

Employees Group2 Week1 Systolic Week2 Systolic Week3 Systolic

Kumar 141 140 139
Mohan 142 142 142
Raja 151 152 153
Saravanan 142 142 143
Shankar 148 150 148
Shivaraj 150 151 150
Shri Ram 140 141 140
Siva Prasad 145 144 144
Venkat 142 142 143
Viswa Prasath 143 144 144

Diastolic Blood Pressure weekly comparison for Group 2 Employees

xl
100
98
97
96 96
95 95 9595 95
95 94 94 94 94
92 92 92
91 91 91 91 91 91
90 90 90 90 90
90 89 89

85
85

80

75
Kumar Mohan Raja Saravanan Shankar Shivaraj Shri Ram Siva Venkat Viswa
Prasad Prasath

Week1 - Diastolic Week2 - Diastolic Week3 - Diastolic

Employees Group2 Week1 - Diastolic Week2 - Diastolic Week3 - Diastolic

Kumar 95 94 95
Mohan 89 90 85
Raja 95 95 94
Saravanan 90 89 91
Shankar 96 98 97
Shivaraj 92 94 91
Shri Ram 96 94 91
Siva Prasad 92 90 91
Venkat 90 91 95
Viswa Prasath 90 91 92

4.2. DISCUSSION

xli
 The findings of the study will ascertain the improvements of the blood pressure for group1 versus

group2. Group1 shows significance changes to the blood pressure after practicing Yoga Nidra. The findings

of the study will be helpful for the further research studies for Hypertension. This study would give

an exact idea about physiological variables like decrease of pulse rate, maintain the normal level of

Systolic Blood pressure and Diastolic Blood Pressure. This study would give an exact idea about

Psychological variables like reducing stress and aggression.

CHAPTER – V

xlii
 5.1 CONCLUSION

Yoga Nidra is the powerful technique to induce complete physical, mental and emotional

relaxations. The Yoga Nidra state reflects an integrated response by the hypothalamus resulting in

decreased sympathetic nervous activity (excitatory) and increased parasympathetic function. This

relaxation response can be thought of as the inverse counterpart of the so-called 'fight or flight'

response. The ultimate objective of Yoga Nidra is to combat the stressful influences and rectifying

the imbalances created by 24 poor stress management. It is not only a way of coping with stress, but

it also provides a means of transforming and positively utilizing tension as a steppingstone to greater

awareness, efficiency and achievement in life.

The present study attempted to find out whether Yoga Nidra is an effective technique in

reducing stress. In the present study carried out on IT professionals in the age group of 30 to 40 ears,

it was found that this technique was effective in reducing stress. Among various analyses of stress

that were studied the following hypotheses were framed:

1. Systolic blood pressure scores of experimental group are lower after the treatment, than

of control group.

2. Diastolic blood pressure scores of experimental group are lower after the treatment, than

of control group.

5.2 REFERENCE
Damodaran, K (1967). Indian thought: a critical survey. Asia Publishing House, New Delhi,

India.

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