Cancer is a devastating and life-changing diagnosis. Many cancer patients might have difficulty trying to maintain a quality of life similar to what they had before cancer. With added stress and worry about how much longer a patient has to live, discomfort from the side effects of medicine and appetite changes, cancer impacts all aspects of a patient’s life. Those with a more serious form of cancer, such as mesothelioma, might feel an especially great sense of urgency. Mesothelioma life expectancy can be just months after diagnosis. However, despite all these difficulties, the light exercise provided by yoga can help ease some of cancer’s discomfort and yield a better quality of life.
Exercise, in general, greatly benefits cancer patients and survivors. The American College of Sports Medicine has said that it is crucial for cancer patients to stay as active as possible before and during cancer treatment. Exercise builds strength, decreases fatigue and improves a person’s mental health. Doctors find that the more active a cancer patient stays during treatment, the better the prognosis.
Although strenuous exercise, such as running a marathon, is not generally recommended, patients should engage in as much activity as is possible. Moderate exercise five days per week, such as a thirty minute walk, is a good amount of exercise for cancer patients. High-impact workouts can exhaust fatigued cancer patients. Because yoga builds strength and reduces stress without a great deal of energy exertion, it matches well the needs of those with cancer.
Until recently, there have been few studies about the benefits of yoga for cancer patients. One such study was performed by the University of Rochester Medical Center. Though cancer survivors often still have sleep problems after treatment, patients who participated in yoga reported sleeping better.
Other studies have shown that cancer patients had improvement in cancer-related stress and symptoms when they participated in yoga. Researchers also found improved psychological benefits in cancer patients who participated in yoga. Although more controlled research is still needed, the results of these first studies look promising.
Cancer patients have many treatment options. Although yoga is never suggested as the only treatment for a cancer patient, it could still have many benefits as a complementary lifestyle change. Patients should always consult their doctor to determine the best treatment plan for them.
