Tai chi/yoga effects on anxiety, heartrate, EEG and math computations

Objective: To determine the immediate effects of a combined form of Tai chi/yoga. Design: 38 adults participated in a 20-min Tai chi/yoga class. The session was comprised of standing Tai chi movements, balancing poses and a short Tai chi form and 10 min of standing, sitting and lying down yoga poses. Main outcome measures: The pre- and post- Tai chi/yoga effects were assessed using the State Anxiety Inventory (STAI), EKG, EEG and math computations. Results: Heartrate increased during the session, as would be expected for this moderate-intensity exercise. Changes from pre to post-session assessments suggested increased relaxation including decreased anxiety and a trend for increased EEG theta activity. Conclusions: The increased relaxation may have contributed to the increased speed and accuracy noted on math computations following the Tai chi/yoga class.