A three-month pilot study of patients with hypertension demonstrates that adding yoga to a regular exercise training regimen supports cardiovascular health and wellbeing and is more effective than stretching exercises. Incorporation of yoga reduced systolic blood pressure and resting heart rate and improved 10-year cardiovascular risk. Investigators recruited 60 individuals with previously diagnosed high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome for an exercise training program.

Over the 3-month intervention regimen, participants were divided into 2 groups, which performed 15 minutes of either structured yoga or stretching in addition to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise training 5 times weekly. After 3 months, there was a decrease in resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate in both groups.

Source: Elsevier