In a new study, researchers suggest that heart patients who feel gloomy should try tai chi.
The mind-body exercise was linked with a boost in both mood and quality of life.
The research was conducted by a team at the University of Arizona.
Cardiovascular diseases are lifelong chronic illnesses. After a heart attack, for example, people living with coronary heart disease or heart failure for the rest of their lives.
Many patients experience unpleasant feelings or emotions that affect their ability to live life to the full—the medical term is “psychological distress” and includes depression, anxiety, and stress.
Depressive symptoms, for instance, affect approximately 20% of patients with coronary heart disease, 20% of patients with heart failure, 27% of those with high blood pressure, and more than one-third (35%) of stroke survivors.
Tai chi combines a series of set movements, such as “wave hands like clouds”, with relaxation and breathing. It’s a mind-body exercise because it requires concentration on posture, relaxation, and breathing.
Studies of this activity in patients with cardiovascular disease have generally been small.
This is the first combined analysis of clinical trials from the past decade examining the effect of tai chi on psychological wellbeing in adults with coronary heart disease, heart failure, hypertension, and stroke.
A total of 1,853 patients from 15 clinical trials were included in the analysis. The average age of participants was 66 and 44% were women.
The team found tai chi was linked with less psychological distress as a whole. It was also associated with a reduction in depression.
Patients with cardiovascular disease often have a poor quality of life due to unpleasant symptoms (for example shortness of breath) or disability.
The study found that tai chi was also linked to a better quality of life. This included mental health quality of life (how they felt, ability to go out and socialize, etc.) and physical health quality of life (walking, ability to do daily activities, etc.).
The team says if a person has had a heart attack or stroke, or are affected by another heart condition, they would strongly recommend adding tai chi to the recovery and rehabilitation.
They cautioned against learning the movements from scratch online since incorrect foot placements could cause knee pain.
One author of the study is Dr. Ruth Taylor-Piliae of the University of Arizona.
The study is published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.
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