The effect of tele-yoga training in healthy women on menstrual symptoms, quality of life, anxiety-depression level, body awareness, and self-esteem during COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study was planned to examine the effects of tele-yoga training on menstrual symptoms, quality of life, anxiety-depression level, body awareness, and self-esteem in healthy women. METHODS: Thirty-two healthy premenopausal women between the ages of 18 and 45 were included in the study. The women were randomly divided into two groups as tele-yoga training (n: 16) and the control group (n: 16). The tele-yoga training was performed on the Zoom software for 6 weeks, 2 times a week and 45 min a day. No intervention was made in the control group. Menstrual pain and symptoms by Menstrual Symptom Scale (MSS), quality of life by Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), depression levels by Beck Depression Scale (BDS), anxiety levels by State and Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI), body awareness by Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ), and self-esteem by Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were determined. RESULTS: In the tele-yoga training group, statistically significant improvements were observed in the MSS total (p = 0.001), negative effects (p = 0.003), menstrual pain symptoms (p = 0.003), coping methods (p = 0.001) sub-parameters, BDS score (p = 0.000), NHP sleep (p = 0.021), energy (p = 0.002), emotional (p = 0.000), and isolation (p = 0.039) sub-parameters. In the control group, there was statistically significant worsening in the NHP total score (p = 0.000). As regards the differences in values between the two groups, there were statistically difference in favor of the training group in sub-parameters of MSS, NHP sleep, energy, emotional, and isolation sub-parameters, and BDS and BAQ scores (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It is thought that tele-yoga training may be a safe and effective method in reducing menstrual symptoms and depression, increasing quality of life, and body awareness.