Effects of Yoga Practice on Personality, Body Image and Lactate. Pilot Study on a Group of Women from 40 Years

Yoga techniques are increasingly popular all over the world. This discipline provides benefits both in relation to particular psychological disorders, such as anxiety disorders or those related to stress, but also in relation to certain clinical frameworks that involve significant life changes of people. Some studies have shown that this practice brings relevant benefits regarding cognitive functions such as memory and attention. The aim of this study was to verify, in women over 40 years of age, whether the practice of yoga can positively affect self-esteem, anxiety control, and body image. It was also intended to verify whether the potential beneficial effects of yoga are influenced by the personality’s profile of the individual who practices it. Results demonstrated comparable data on a high level of well-being and psychophysical balance for all samples involved. These results, therefore, confirm that the constantly practiced yogic technique affects the lifestyle of the subject by promoting the learning of effective methods for physical health and well-being.