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Doing yoga may help reduce frequency of seizures in people with epilepsy and lower their anxiety, a new study found. The practice may also improve patients’ overall quality of life by reducing the stigma they feel from having the disease, according to the research, published last week in the medical journal Neurology. “People with epilepsy often face stigma that can cause them to feel different than others due to their own health condition and that can have a significant impact on their quality of life,” study author Manjari Tripathi from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi said. “This stigma can affect a person’s life in many ways including treatment, emergency department visits and poor mental health,” Dr Tripathi explained. In the study, researchers assessed people with epilepsy with an average age of 30 in India. They measured stigma among participants based on their answers to questions such as: “Do you feel other people discriminate against you?” “Do you feel you cannot contribute anything in society?” and “Do you feel different from other people?” About 160 people who met the criteria for experiencing stigma were then identified. These patients had an average of one seizure per week and on average took at least two anti-seizure medications, researchers said. One set of patients were then randomly assigned to receive yoga therapy, which included exercises in loosening muscles, breathing, meditation and positive affirmations. Another set of patients received a sham therapy that mimicked the same exercises, but these participants were not given instructions on two key components of yoga – slow and synchronized breathing, and attention to the body movements and sensations. Both the groups received seven supervised group sessions of 45 to 60 minutes over three months. They were also asked to practice sessions at home at least five times a week for 30 minutes and track their seizures and yoga sessions in a journal. Participants were then followed for an additional three months after their first three months of therapy. People who did yoga were more than four times as likely to have their seizure frequency more than halved after six months than the people who did sham yoga, the study found. Compared to those who did the sham practice, participants who did yoga were more likely to reduce their perceived stigma of the disease, researchers say. People who did yoga were also over seven times more likely to no longer have seizures than those who did the sham practice, according to the study. Researchers also reported a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms among those who did yoga versus people who did not. “The intervention group showed significant improvement in symptoms of anxiety, cognitive impairment, mindfulness and quality of life relative to the control group at the end of follow-up period,” researchers wrote. “Yoga may not only help reduce stigma, but also improve quality of life and mindfulness. Plus, yoga can be easily prerecorded and shared with patients online using minimal resources and costs,” Dr Tripathi said. Citing the main limitation of the study, researchers said the participants self-reported their seizure frequency and they may not have remembered all the information accurately. However, they say the findings “elevate the need to consider alternative therapies and activities for people with epilepsy facing stigma”. Read More Jonnie Irwin says he ‘never thought’ he’d be alive to see his 50th birthday Billy Connolly shares health update on Parkinson’s disease: ‘Every day gets stranger’ What are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and how can it be treated? Jonnie Irwin says he ‘never thought’ he’d be alive to see his 50th birthday Billy Connolly shares health update on Parkinson’s disease: ‘Every day gets stranger’ What are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and how can it be treated?

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A man who evacuated from a town in Iceland after earthquakes put the region on alert for a volcanic eruption said he fears he might never see his home again. Caitlin McLean, from Scotland, was visiting her boyfriend, Gisli Gunnarsson, in Grindavik when they were forced to flee his home at midnight on Friday, packing only a few essential items, to stay with Mr Gunnarsson’s mother in Reykjavik. Police evacuated Grindavik after seismic activity in the area moved south towards the town, with a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, now thought to be extending under the community, Iceland’s Meteorological Office said. Ms McLean, 34, captured the moment the furniture and light fixtures shook violently in Mr Gunnarsson’s home on Friday. “At around four on Friday, (the earthquakes) just started being non-stop. Just constant big quakes for hours,” Mr Gunnarsson, 29, told the PA news agency The music composer, who was born and raised in Grindavik, described the situation as “grim”. He said: “First and foremost, the thought that you might never see your home town ever again, that’s tough. “We all rushed out of (Grindavik) so quickly, in a matter of hours, so we didn’t really think at the time that might possibly be the last time we see our home, so that’s been difficult. “It’s a pretty grim situation at the moment.” Ms McLean, an artist, added that the situation has been “difficult” for people to understand. She told PA: “I think it’s difficult for the residents to really process that. “I think everyone’s still a wee bit shocked and it’s not really sinking in there is a possibility they’re not going to be able to go home.” It's a pretty grim situation at the moment Gisli Gunnarsson, resident of Grindavik Ms McLean has urged volcano enthusiasts to avoid the area and “be respectful” to people whose homes have been affected. She said: “I would definitely say there’s been quite a lot of people wanting to fly over (to Iceland), like people that are interested in volcanoes and lava. “They’re trying to keep tourists away because there’s been people already trying to fly drones over the town. “I understand for a lot of people this is a big spectacle, but these people are losing their homes potentially, so just to be respectful.” Mr Gunnarsson said the earthquakes on Friday were the worst he has experienced. “Not even the search and rescue are really going (to the town) at the moment. “The uncertainty is too high and it’s ready to pop at any moment, the eruption,” he said. The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions, said on Thursday it would close until November 16 due to the risk of an eruption.