Yoga

Yoga a system of physical postures, breathing techniques, and sometimes meditation used to promote physical and emotional well-being, that originated out of ancient India. Many variations of yoga exist, but the styles embraced as a potential treatment for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients tend to be more gentle and restorative in practice.

Types
Many different types of yoga exist. Some types of yoga investigated for ME/CFS include:
 * seated or recumbent yoga, which is done while sitting in a chair and without standing, to avoid orthostatic intolerance symptoms
 * recumbent isometric yoga, which was developed as a treatment for ME/CFS

Theory
Yoga is both a mind-body therapy and an exercise therapy. Yoga for ME/CFS typically aims to reduce some symptoms and improve overall quality of life.

Oka et al. (2014) state that there is evidence that yoga reduces cancer-related fatigue, and it is hoped that yoga may also reduce fatigue related to ME/CFS, but only if activity is kept to below the level that provokes post-exertional malaise since this would increase fatigue and other symptoms. Oka et al. state that ME/CFS patients are deconditioned and hypothesize that the exercise involved in yoga may reduce any deconditioning symptoms.

Yoga has also been explored for improving autonomic nervous system symptoms, e.g., orthostatic intolerance, which many ME/CFS patients have.

Notable studies related to ME/CFS

 * 2005, Prospective observational study of treatments for unexplained chronic fatigue - (Abstract)
 * 2014, Isometric yoga improves the fatigue and pain of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome who are resistant to conventional therapy: a randomized, controlled trial - (Full Text)
 * 2017, Development of a recumbent isometric yoga program for patients with severe chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: A pilot study to assess feasibility and efficacy - (Full Text)
 * 2018, Changes in fatigue, autonomic functions, and blood biomarkers due to sitting isometric yoga in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome - (Full Text)
 * 2019, The longitudinal effects of seated isometric yoga on blood biomarkers, autonomic functions, and psychological parameters of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a pilot study - (Full text)
 * 2020, Changes in Heart Rate Variability after Yoga are Dependent on Heart Rate Variability at Baseline and during Yoga: A Study Showing Autonomic Normalization Effect in Yoga-Naïve and Experienced Subjects (Full text)

Video



 * Recumbent Isometric Yoga - Bateman Horne Center Feb 28, 2021

Blog

 * Aroga Yoga - a yoga and wellness blog by a yogini who has been living with ME/CFS since the age of 13 yrs.

Learn more

 * Aug 28, 2007, "Relief for Chronic Fatigue Through Yoga" by Alice Lesch Kelly in Yoga Journal
 * Mar 28, 2013, "How I yoga for ME/CFS" Blog post in My Journey thru M.E. by Jess Bruce
 * Apr 15, 2015, "Breathe Deep: Dan Moricoli on Yoga and Recovering From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" by Cort Johnson in Health Rising