Abstract

Cognitive impairment, often described as “chemo brain,” is a common but under addressed issue among cancer survivors. Yoga Nidra (YN), a deeply restorative guided meditation, may offer a promising, non-invasive therapeutic pathway to enhance cognitive function and overall quality of life. This commentary explores the neurophysiological mechanisms of YN, its accessibility, and emerging evidence supporting its application in survivorship care. Greater incorporation of YN into clinical and home-based cancer recovery programs could provide substantial benefits in cognitive restoration and psychosocial well-being.

• 1.   Ahles TA, Root JC, Ryan EL. Cancer- and cancer treatment-associated cognitive change: An update on the state of the science. J ClinOncol. 2012;30(30):3675-3686.
• 2.   Bower JE. Cancer-related fatigue, mechanisms, risk factors, and treatments. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2014;11(10):597-609.
• 3.   Markham MJ, Wachter K, Agarwal N, et al. Clinical cancer advances 2020: Annual report on progress against cancer from the American Society of Clinical Oncology. J ClinOncol. 2020;38(10):1081-1104.
• 4.   Rani S, Sharma N, Singh A. Impact of YN on stress and cognitive functioning in breast cancer patients: A randomized controlled trial. Integr Cancer Ther. 2021;20:15347354211045621.
• 5.   Telles S, Singh N, Balkrishna A. Managing mental health disorders resulting from trauma through YN: A review. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2020;11(2):93-98.
• 6.   Lavretsky H, Alstein LL, Olmstead RE, et al. Complementary use of mind-body interventions in older adults with cancerrelated cognitive impairment: Clinical implications. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2018;31(4):186-195.
• 7.   Dhruva A, Miaskowski C, Abrams D, et al. Yoga interventions for cancer survivors: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J ClinOncol. 2012;30(15):1934-1940.
• 8.   Dusek JA, Benson H. Mind-body medicine: A model of the comparative clinical impact of the acute stress and relaxation responses. Minn Med. 2009;92(5):47-50.
• 9.   Rocha KKF, Ribeiro AM, Rocha KC, et al. Improvement in physiological and psychological parameters after 8 weeks of YN in patients with chronic insomnia. Int J Yoga. 2012;5(2):123-130.
• 10.   Kumar K, Rani A, Tiwari S. Effect of YN on cognitive performance in college students. J Altern Complement Med. 2019;25(4):456-462.
• 11.   Pascoe MC, Thompson DR, Jenkins ZM, Ski CF. Mindfulness mediates the physiological markers of stress: Systematic review and metaanalysis. J Psychiatr Res. 2017 Dec;95:156-178. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.08.004. Epub 2017 Aug 23. PMID: 28863392.
• 12.   Brewer JA, Worhunsky PD, Gray JR, Tang YY, Weber J, Kober H. Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity. ProcNatlAcadSci U S A. 2011 Dec 13;108(50):20254-9. doi: 10.1073/ pnas.1112029108. Epub 2011 Nov 23. PMID: 22114193; PMCID: PMC3250176.
• 13.   Xie L,Kang H, Xu Q, Chen MJ, Liao Y, Thiyagarajan M, O’Donnell J, Christensen DJ, Nicholson C, Iliff JJ, Takano T, Deane R, Nedergaard M. Sleep drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain. Science. 2013 Oct 18;342(6156):373-7. doi: 10.1126/ science.1241224. PMID: 24136970; PMCID: PMC3880190.

Data Sharing Statement

Funding