Effect of Shavasana on Recovery after Physical Stress

Abstract

Shavasana is a yogic relaxation posture which has numerous health benefits. It is also used to prevent and control psychophysiological stress. This study was conducted to analyze Shavasana’s effects on reducing stress after participation in physical activities. Ten (10) male under -17 National level soccer players of Tripura Sports School were selected purposively for the study. The subjects were instructed to run on a treadmill with 40% intensity, with a gradual increase of 10% after every two minutes till it reached their 80% level of intensity. The final intensity was increased to 90% of their maximum speed ability, and they continued to run for five minutes. At the end of the run, two different recovery modes (Active and Shavasana) were provided on two separate days. In the active recovery, the subject performed for five minutes with 25% intensity on the treadmill and then sat quietly for 60 minutes. The passive recovery process included ‘Shavasana’ for five minutes after the activity and then sitting on the chair for 60 minutes. Blood samples and heart rates were collected simultaneously after every program stage. During the recovery phase, the data was obtained from the 5th, 10th, 30th, and 60th minutes. Data was analyzed with the help of paired t-tests. The comparison between active and passive recovery processes revealed a statistically significant difference in selected physiological parameters. A significant reduction was seen in blood lactate values while performing low-intensity active recovery.