Effects of exercises with yoga elements on enhancing stress resistance of academic staff (with the focus on women in middle adulthood)

Introduction. The authors study the problem of enhancing stress resistance of women academics. The purpose of the research is to analyze the effects of health-promoting exercises with yoga elements on women academics’ stress resistance in their middle adulthood. Materials and Methods. An empirical study was conducted from February to June 2018 at Astrakhan State University. The study sample consisted of 60 women academics, the average age was 41 ± 2 years. Their teaching experience was between 16 and 30 years. The effectiveness of health-promoting exercises was assessed using the following methods: E. S. Ivanova’s ‘Stress-FIE questionnaire’ aimed at identifying the main types of stress and T. A. Nemchin’s ‘Tools of measuring neuropsychiatric stress’. The data were analyzed using mathematical statistics methods. Results. The authors measured the stress resistance of women academics as well as developed and implemented a complex of exercises with yoga elements. The effectiveness of the proposed set of exercises was evaluated. The study proved positive changes in stress resistance indicators. The authors emphasize that the yoga technique is characterized by low intensity and maximum concentration on the final result of exercises, as well as focusing on the rules of performing exercises (sequence of actions and breath control). Conclusions. The study found a positive impact of health-enhancing exercises with yoga elements on women academics’ stress resistance.