New Delhi: Taking a 12-week yoga class and practicing at home has been linked to less insomnia – but not to fewer or less bothersome hot flashes or night sweats, according to scientists. Lead author Katherine Newton, PhD, a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute, said that many women suffer from insomnia during menopause, and it’s good to know that yoga may help them. Ms FLASH (Menopause Strategies: Finding Lasting Answers for Symptoms and Health) Network randomized controlled trial tried to see if three more “natural” approaches – yoga, exercise, or fish oil – may help ease these menopause symptoms. The study assigned 249 healthy, previously sedentary women at multiple sites, including Group Health, to do yoga, a moderate aerobic exercise program, or neither – and to take an omega-3 fatty acid supplement or a placebo. Exercise seemed linked to slightly improved sleep and less insomnia and depression, and yoga also was linked to better sleep quality and less depression – but these effects were not statistically significant. The omega-3 supplement was not linked to any improvement in hot flashes, night sweats, sleep, or mood.
Bureau Report
Leave a Reply