Efficacy of Yoga and Meditation on Depression, Anxiety and Stress level of Post-menopausal Women

A large number of factors were associated with experiencing menopausal and psycho-social problems and which had negative effects on the quality of life among Indian women. Depression, anxiety and stress should be considered as important risk factors for osteoporosis among post-menopausal women. Anxiety and depressive disorders constitute a substantial proportion of the global burden of disease and are projected to form the second most common cause of disability by 2020 (Murray et.al 1996). The present research makes an attempt to ascertain the efficacy of yoga exercises and meditation on the depression, anxiety and stress level of post-menopausal women. The sample of 30 post-menopausal women was selected between age ranges of 45 to 55 years purposefully. Further, total sample was divided randomly into two categories i.e. experimental group (15) and control group (15).The present research takes into consideration the psychological test Anxiety, Depression and Stress Scale developed by Bhatnagar, P. et al.(2011). The positive impact of yoga exercises and meditation has been reported on the level of depression, anxiety and stress among post-menopausal women in the experimental group.