{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T06:04:44Z","timestamp":1789452284111,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789430400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Hum. Neurosci."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Classical\n                      <jats:italic>Yoga-\u0100sana<\/jats:italic>\n                      emphasizes not merely adoption of posture, but progressive reduction of unnecessary effort while maintaining stable engagement. However, the neurophysiological implications of effort modulation during yoga practice remain insufficiently understood. This study examined whether externally similar\n                      <jats:italic>Yoga-\u0100sana<\/jats:italic>\n                      performed with different effort organization may engage distinct autonomic regulatory organizations.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Eight experienced female yoga practitioner-teachers (median age: 58\u202fyears; median yoga experience: 19\u202fyears) participated in a within-subject exploratory study. Heart rate variability (HRV) was assessed during three 5-min conditions: free-standing, effort-reduced \u201cyogic\u201d\n                      <jats:italic>Virabhadrasana<\/jats:italic>\n                      (Y), and\n                      <jats:italic>Virabhadrasana<\/jats:italic>\n                      (E) performed without deliberate effort reduction. HRV indices were analysed using Friedman and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with Holm\u2013Bonferroni correction.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Compared with\n                      <jats:italic>Virabhadrasana<\/jats:italic>\n                      (E), yogic\n                      <jats:italic>Virabhadrasana<\/jats:italic>\n                      (Y) demonstrated significantly increased RR interval, HF power and HF (nu), and significantly reduced LF (nu) and LF\/HF ratio indicating preserved vagally mediated autonomic flexibility despite similar orthostatic demand and active postural engagement. DFA\u03b11 values were significantly lower in the yogic condition.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      This study provides preliminary proof-of-concept that externally similar but effortfully different postural behaviors (\n                      <jats:italic>Virbhadrasana<\/jats:italic>\n                      Y and E) were associated with different HRV patterns in a small group of experienced practitioners. Skilled yogic performance appears to involve efficient embodied regulation characterized by reduced regulatory burden, preserved adaptive flexibility, and relaxation within sustained action despite continued postural demand. These findings support the broader hypothesis that physiological cost depends not merely on task demands, but on the organization of regulation through which action is achieved.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fnhum.2026.1887856","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T05:33:20Z","timestamp":1789450400000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Relaxation in action: enhanced vagal modulation during Virabhadrasana (a standing yoga-asana) despite orthostatic demand suggests efficient regulation of effort"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Leena","family":"Phadke","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"SKN Medical College","place":["Pune, India"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Reinhard","family":"Boegle","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Yoga Forum","place":["Munich, Germany"]},{"name":"Centre for Behavioral Medicine","place":["Pune, India"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"S. N.","family":"Bhavsar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Behavioral Medicine","place":["Pune, India"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sanjay","family":"Phadke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Behavioral Medicine","place":["Pune, India"]},{"name":"Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Research Centre","place":["Pune, India"]},{"name":"Jehangir Hospital","place":["Pune, India"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.3389\/fnsys.2019.00079","article-title":"An integrative model of effortful control","volume":"13","author":"Andr\u00e9","year":"2019","journal-title":"Front. Syst. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref2","volume-title":"The Co-Ordination and Regulation of Movements","author":"Bernstein","year":"1967"},{"key":"ref4","volume-title":"Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience","author":"Csikszentmihalyi","year":"1990"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ahj.2023.08.034","article-title":"Validation of tele-HRV: a novel digital health solution for cardiovascular risk detection in diabetes","volume":"267","author":"Deshmukh","year":"2024","journal-title":"Am. Heart J."},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"242","DOI":"10.1123\/jpah.2019-0372","article-title":"Range of yoga intensities from savasana to sweating: a systematic review","volume":"17","author":"Forseth","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Phys. Act. Health"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.1038\/nrn2787","article-title":"The free-energy principle: a unified brain theory?","volume":"11","author":"Friston","year":"2010","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2466","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.012579499","article-title":"Fractal dynamics in physiology: alterations with disease and aging","volume":"99","author":"Goldberger","year":"2002","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1255","DOI":"10.1113\/expphysiol.2010.056259","article-title":"LF power of heart rate variability is not a measure of cardiac sympathetic tone but may be a measure of modulation of cardiac autonomic outflows by baroreflexes","volume":"96","author":"Goldstein","year":"2011","journal-title":"Exp. Physiol."},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-023-05964-2","article-title":"A somato-cognitive action network alternates with effector regions in motor cortex","volume":"617","author":"Gordon","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"780","DOI":"10.1038\/29528","article-title":"Signal-dependent noise determines motor planning","volume":"394","author":"Harris","year":"1998","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104907","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2022.104907","article-title":"Heart rate variability in the prediction of mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of healthy and patient populations","volume":"143","author":"Jarczok","year":"2022","journal-title":"Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.1016\/0002-9149(87)90795-8","article-title":"Decreased heart rate variability and its association with increased mortality after acute myocardial infarction","volume":"59","author":"Kleiger","year":"1987","journal-title":"Am. J. Cardiol."},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2017.00213","article-title":"Heart rate variability and cardiac vagal tone in psychophysiological research: recommendations for experiment planning, data analysis, and data reporting","volume":"8","author":"Laborde","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref15","volume-title":"Classical Yoga Philosophy and the Legacy of the S\u0101\u1e43khya","author":"Larson","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref16","first-page":"282","article-title":"Motor synergies and the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis","volume":"6","author":"Latash","year":"2002","journal-title":"Mot. Control."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1043","DOI":"10.1161\/01.CIR.93.5.1043","article-title":"Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use. Task force of the European society of cardiology and the north american society of pacing and electrophysiology","volume":"93","author":"Malik","year":"1996","journal-title":"Circulation"},{"key":"ref17","volume-title":"Meditation Practices for Health: State of the Research Evidence Report\/Technology Assessment No. 155","author":"Ospina","year":"2007"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"82","DOI":"10.1063\/1.166141","article-title":"Quantification of scaling exponents and crossover phenomena in nonstationary heartbeat time series","volume":"5","author":"Peng","year":"1995","journal-title":"Chaos"},{"key":"ref19","volume-title":"The Principles and Practice of yoga in Cardiovascular medicine","author":"Phadke","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref20","first-page":"175","article-title":"Prediction of coronary artery disease using electrocardiography: a machine learning approach proceedings of the international conference on machine learning and cybernetics (ICMLC)","volume-title":"ICMLC Conference Proceeding","author":"Phadke","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1030","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-025-10059-1","article-title":"Parkinson\u2019s disease as a somato-cognitive action network disorder","volume":"651","author":"Ren","year":"2026","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"235","DOI":"10.3389\/fnhum.2015.00235","article-title":"Neurophysiological and neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the effects of yoga-based practices: towards a comprehensive theoretical framework","volume":"9","author":"Schmalzl","year":"2015","journal-title":"Front. Hum. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"258","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2017.00258","article-title":"An overview of heart rate variability metrics and norms","volume":"5","author":"Shaffer","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front. Public Health"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2013.07.007","article-title":"The expected value of control: an integrative theory of anterior cingulate cortex function","volume":"79","author":"Shenhav","year":"2013","journal-title":"Neuron"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-neuro-072116-031526","article-title":"Toward a rational-theoretic account of cognitive control and effort","volume":"40","author":"Shenhav","year":"2017","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"274","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2017.02.003","article-title":"The hierarchical basis of neurovisceral integration","volume":"75","author":"Smith","year":"2017","journal-title":"Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev."},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1718808","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2026.1718808","article-title":"How yoga shapes the brain: a systematic review","volume":"20","author":"Stoelers","year":"2026","journal-title":"Front. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"747","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2011.11.009","article-title":"A meta-analysis of heart rate variability and neuroimaging studies: implications for heart rate variability as a marker of stress and health","volume":"36","author":"Thayer","year":"2012","journal-title":"Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev."},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1007\/s12160-009-9101-z","article-title":"Heart rate variability, prefrontal neural function, and cognitive performance: the neurovisceral integration perspective on self-regulation, adaptation, and health","volume":"37","author":"Thayer","year":"2009","journal-title":"Ann. Behav. Med."},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.1016\/S0165-0327(00)00338-4","article-title":"A model of neurovisceral integration in emotion regulation and dysregulation","volume":"61","author":"Thayer","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Affect. Disord."},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1226","DOI":"10.1038\/nn963","article-title":"Optimal feedback control as a theory of motor coordination","volume":"5","author":"Todorov","year":"2002","journal-title":"Nat. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.59556\/japi.72.0556","article-title":"Prediction of micro and macrovascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus using heart rate variability","volume":"72","author":"Wadhokar","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Assoc. Physicians India"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Human Neuroscience"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fnhum.2026.1887856\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T05:33:22Z","timestamp":1789450402000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fnhum.2026.1887856\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]]},"references-count":32,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fnhum.2026.1887856"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fnhum.2026.1887856","relation":{},"ISSN":["1662-5161"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1662-5161","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]]},"article-number":"1887856"}}