2023
Gonzalez, Natalie A. et al. “A Systematic Review of Yoga and Meditation for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children.”
03/14/2023 Published via California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology
https://www.cureus.com/articles/113353-a-systematic-review-of-yoga-and-meditation-for-attention-deficithyperactivity-disorder-in-children#!/
From the article:
Using different combinations of medical subheadings (MeSH) and key terms, followed by the application of several inclusion/exclusion criteria and filters to narrow down our search. From an initial 51,675 articles, we selected 10 papers that passed our screening process and quality check to analyze in depth. Yoga and meditation positively affect various symptoms in children with ADHD, including attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. If done in family group sessions, it also benefited the parents and family dynamics, suggesting a potential option for family therapy. Furthermore, other psychological symptoms, such as anxiety or low self-esteem, appeared to be positively impacted by these interventions. Although yoga and meditation positively influenced children with ADHD, a more in-depth research is necessary with a more significant number of participants and over a more extended period of time. The results of the included studies suggest a substantial benefit. Nonetheless, as the number of studies is limited, at present yoga and meditation could be beneficial as supplemental therapy rather than being used alone as a therapy for ADHD.
2022
Fritz, Kathryn and Patrick J. O’Connor. “Effects of a 6-Week Yoga Intervention on Executive Functioning in Women Screening Positive for Adults ADHD: A Pilot Study.”
02/24/2022 Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.746409/full
From the article:
Little is known about the effects of yoga training in adults with ADHD symptoms. This pilot study sought to determine the feasibility and selected psychological effects of 6 weeks of yoga training in women screening positive for adult ADHD compared to a wait-list control group.
Levine, Hallie. “Meditation and Yoga for ADHD.”
1/17/2022 WebMD
https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-mindfulness-meditation-yoga#:~:text=Yoga%20has%20been%20shown%20to,and%20strengthens%20the%20prefrontal%20cortex.
From the article:
Mindfulness meditation strengthens your ability to control your attention. It teaches you how to observe yourself and to focus on something. And it trains you to bring your wandering mind back into the moment when you get distracted. It can also make you more aware of your emotions so you're less likely to act impulsively.
Meditation is thought to help with ADHD because it thickens your prefrontal cortex, a part of your brain that's involved in focus, planning, and impulse control.
2021
“Gunaseelan, Luxhman et al. "Yoga for the Management of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.”
12/13/2021 National Library of Medicine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8760933/
From the artlcle:
Yoga has been shown to improve several physiological functions and improve cognitive domains such as executive functions, attention, intelligence, memory and concentration. Yoga can help reduce symptoms of various illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pain, neurodegenerative conditions, and depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is important to note that psychological conditions such as depression are common comorbid conditions with ADHD, suggesting the potential benefits of yoga for the overall well-being of the individual. Yoga helps individuals with ADHD by reducing hyperactivity and distractibility, which improves cognitive function and academic performance. Pranayama, or yogic breathing techniques, are especially effective in reducing hyperactivity and distractibility in ADHD patients, allowing them to calm down and follow instructions. There is also evidence that vagal control during meditation correlates with differential activation in brain regions regulating threat appraisal, interoception, emotion regulation, and facilitating greater flexibility in response to challenge. (Footnote references removed for brevity)
“Can yoga help people with ADHD?”
9/30/21 Medical News Today
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/adhd-yoga
From the article:
Regularly practicing yoga can strengthen the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain that may be smaller or have reduced function in some people with ADHD. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision making, planning, and focus….
2020
Kiselev, Sergey. "Long-term Effect of Body-Oriented Therapy on Exeuctive Abilities in Children with ADHD."
05/01/2020 " Biological Psychiatry
https://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(20)30892-1/fulltext
Summarized in:
Jagoo, Krystal. "Yoga and Breathwork May Improve Focus in Kids with ADHD."
06/07/2021 verywellmind
https://www.verywellmind.com/yoga-and-breathwork-may-help-kids-with-adhd-5186777
From the article:
A recently published pilot study in Biological Psychiatry has demonstrated that body-oriented therapy has benefits for executive functioning in children aged 6–7 years old with ADHD even 6 months after the intervention of yoga and breathing practices.
...In terms of research, Hafeez highlights that most ADHD studies have been conducted on men due to the false belief that ADHD mostly affects them, which has resulted in the underdiagnosis of ADHD in marginalized genders.Hafeez explains, "ADHD also presents differently in women and men in a multitude of ways. Women usually internalize symptoms and are more prone to low self-esteem, trouble focusing, verbal aggression, forgetfulness, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, depression, and stress, among other symptoms. Males, however, usually exhibit externalized symptoms, including impulsivity, physical aggression, trouble multitasking, issues with focusing on a task, and poor planning, to name a few.
2017
Chou, Chien-Chih and Chung-Ju Huang. “Effects of an 8-week yoga program on sustained attention and discrimination focus in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.”
01/12/2017 National Library of Medicine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5237364/
From the abstract:
Significant improvements in accuracy rate and reaction time of the two tests were observed over time in the exercise group compared with the control group. These findings suggest that alternative therapies such as yoga exercises can be complementary to behavioral interventions for children with attention and inhibition problems.
2007
Pag, Fernando and Eacutes Ruiz."Focusing on A.D.D."
08/27/2007 Yoga Journal
https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/focusing-on-a-d-d/
From the article:
Today, more health-care professionals recommend a multidisciplinary, multimodal approach to the treatment of ADD, which includes medication but also therapy and dietary changes as well as a host of mind-body approaches, such as biofeedback, neurofeedback, and yoga. These treatments work to help ADD sufferers learn how to control their symptoms and relieve both emotional and physical stress.
But as is the case with most complementary treatments, lack of scientific evidence keeps them from being more accepted and widely used. They tend to get stuck in a gray area: Either they have strong testimonials but no clinical trials to support them, or they have encouraging preliminary research to back their claims but no follow-up studies.
...His yoga teacher accepts this gradual pace as a fact of life. “Quieting the mind is a long haul for any of us,” says Randolph. “It can be an epic journey for those with ADD, but they need it most.” Talking with Clayton about his yoga practice, one gets the sense that he’s found something important and personal at which he can excel, a refuge for his spirit and a tool for establishing harmony between his body and mind.
Gonzalez, Natalie A. et al. “A Systematic Review of Yoga and Meditation for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children.”
03/14/2023 Published via California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology
https://www.cureus.com/articles/113353-a-systematic-review-of-yoga-and-meditation-for-attention-deficithyperactivity-disorder-in-children#!/
From the article:
Using different combinations of medical subheadings (MeSH) and key terms, followed by the application of several inclusion/exclusion criteria and filters to narrow down our search. From an initial 51,675 articles, we selected 10 papers that passed our screening process and quality check to analyze in depth. Yoga and meditation positively affect various symptoms in children with ADHD, including attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. If done in family group sessions, it also benefited the parents and family dynamics, suggesting a potential option for family therapy. Furthermore, other psychological symptoms, such as anxiety or low self-esteem, appeared to be positively impacted by these interventions. Although yoga and meditation positively influenced children with ADHD, a more in-depth research is necessary with a more significant number of participants and over a more extended period of time. The results of the included studies suggest a substantial benefit. Nonetheless, as the number of studies is limited, at present yoga and meditation could be beneficial as supplemental therapy rather than being used alone as a therapy for ADHD.
2022
Fritz, Kathryn and Patrick J. O’Connor. “Effects of a 6-Week Yoga Intervention on Executive Functioning in Women Screening Positive for Adults ADHD: A Pilot Study.”
02/24/2022 Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.746409/full
From the article:
Little is known about the effects of yoga training in adults with ADHD symptoms. This pilot study sought to determine the feasibility and selected psychological effects of 6 weeks of yoga training in women screening positive for adult ADHD compared to a wait-list control group.
Levine, Hallie. “Meditation and Yoga for ADHD.”
1/17/2022 WebMD
https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-mindfulness-meditation-yoga#:~:text=Yoga%20has%20been%20shown%20to,and%20strengthens%20the%20prefrontal%20cortex.
From the article:
Mindfulness meditation strengthens your ability to control your attention. It teaches you how to observe yourself and to focus on something. And it trains you to bring your wandering mind back into the moment when you get distracted. It can also make you more aware of your emotions so you're less likely to act impulsively.
Meditation is thought to help with ADHD because it thickens your prefrontal cortex, a part of your brain that's involved in focus, planning, and impulse control.
2021
“Gunaseelan, Luxhman et al. "Yoga for the Management of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.”
12/13/2021 National Library of Medicine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8760933/
From the artlcle:
Yoga has been shown to improve several physiological functions and improve cognitive domains such as executive functions, attention, intelligence, memory and concentration. Yoga can help reduce symptoms of various illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pain, neurodegenerative conditions, and depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is important to note that psychological conditions such as depression are common comorbid conditions with ADHD, suggesting the potential benefits of yoga for the overall well-being of the individual. Yoga helps individuals with ADHD by reducing hyperactivity and distractibility, which improves cognitive function and academic performance. Pranayama, or yogic breathing techniques, are especially effective in reducing hyperactivity and distractibility in ADHD patients, allowing them to calm down and follow instructions. There is also evidence that vagal control during meditation correlates with differential activation in brain regions regulating threat appraisal, interoception, emotion regulation, and facilitating greater flexibility in response to challenge. (Footnote references removed for brevity)
“Can yoga help people with ADHD?”
9/30/21 Medical News Today
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/adhd-yoga
From the article:
Regularly practicing yoga can strengthen the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain that may be smaller or have reduced function in some people with ADHD. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision making, planning, and focus….
2020
Kiselev, Sergey. "Long-term Effect of Body-Oriented Therapy on Exeuctive Abilities in Children with ADHD."
05/01/2020 " Biological Psychiatry
https://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(20)30892-1/fulltext
Summarized in:
Jagoo, Krystal. "Yoga and Breathwork May Improve Focus in Kids with ADHD."
06/07/2021 verywellmind
https://www.verywellmind.com/yoga-and-breathwork-may-help-kids-with-adhd-5186777
From the article:
A recently published pilot study in Biological Psychiatry has demonstrated that body-oriented therapy has benefits for executive functioning in children aged 6–7 years old with ADHD even 6 months after the intervention of yoga and breathing practices.
...In terms of research, Hafeez highlights that most ADHD studies have been conducted on men due to the false belief that ADHD mostly affects them, which has resulted in the underdiagnosis of ADHD in marginalized genders.Hafeez explains, "ADHD also presents differently in women and men in a multitude of ways. Women usually internalize symptoms and are more prone to low self-esteem, trouble focusing, verbal aggression, forgetfulness, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, depression, and stress, among other symptoms. Males, however, usually exhibit externalized symptoms, including impulsivity, physical aggression, trouble multitasking, issues with focusing on a task, and poor planning, to name a few.
2017
Chou, Chien-Chih and Chung-Ju Huang. “Effects of an 8-week yoga program on sustained attention and discrimination focus in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.”
01/12/2017 National Library of Medicine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5237364/
From the abstract:
Significant improvements in accuracy rate and reaction time of the two tests were observed over time in the exercise group compared with the control group. These findings suggest that alternative therapies such as yoga exercises can be complementary to behavioral interventions for children with attention and inhibition problems.
2007
Pag, Fernando and Eacutes Ruiz."Focusing on A.D.D."
08/27/2007 Yoga Journal
https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/focusing-on-a-d-d/
From the article:
Today, more health-care professionals recommend a multidisciplinary, multimodal approach to the treatment of ADD, which includes medication but also therapy and dietary changes as well as a host of mind-body approaches, such as biofeedback, neurofeedback, and yoga. These treatments work to help ADD sufferers learn how to control their symptoms and relieve both emotional and physical stress.
But as is the case with most complementary treatments, lack of scientific evidence keeps them from being more accepted and widely used. They tend to get stuck in a gray area: Either they have strong testimonials but no clinical trials to support them, or they have encouraging preliminary research to back their claims but no follow-up studies.
...His yoga teacher accepts this gradual pace as a fact of life. “Quieting the mind is a long haul for any of us,” says Randolph. “It can be an epic journey for those with ADD, but they need it most.” Talking with Clayton about his yoga practice, one gets the sense that he’s found something important and personal at which he can excel, a refuge for his spirit and a tool for establishing harmony between his body and mind.