Beneficial effects of 12-week OM chanting on memory in school children

K L Naidu; P Mohan Rao; Kumar Sai Sailesh; Aswathy Gopinath; Soumya Mishra; Swathy Ashok; Arati Amin; Udaya Kumar Reddy; Mukkadan J K

Authors

K L Naidu Department of Ophthalmology, GEMS Hospital, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
P Mohan Rao Department of Community Medicine, GEMS Hospital, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India
Kumar Sai Sailesh Assistant professor, Department of Physiology, Little Flower Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Angamaly, Kerala, India.
Aswathy Gopinath PG student, Department of Physiology, Little Flower Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Angamaly, Kerala, India.
Soumya Mishra Senior Resident, Department of Physiology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India
Swathy Ashok Vice- Chairman, Akshara group of Institutions, Manthani, Karimnagar, Telangana, India.
Arati Amin Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, PK Das Institute of Medical Sciences, Ottapalam, Kerala, India.
Udaya Kumar Reddy President, International Stress Management Association (ISMAIND), Hyderabad, Telangana State, India.
Mukkadan J K Department of Physiology, Little Flower Medical Research Centre, Angamaly, Kerala, India.

Keywords:

OM chanting, Spatial memory, Verbal memory, School children

Abstract

The present study was aimed to provide scientific evidence for beneficial effect of OM chanting on memory. The present study was conducted at Akshara group of institutions, Manthani, Telangana State, India, after obtaining institutional human ethical committee clearance. A total of 60 healthy and wiling female school children aged 12-15 years, were included in the study after obtaining informed consent, following inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subjects were asked to sit in sukhasana and to inhalation deeply and then while exhaling should produce sound (chant) OM with the ability to continue until further exhalation is not possible. Intervention group participants, performed OM chanting once in a day for 30 minutes daily, between 6:30 AM to 7:00 AM, for 12 weeks under the supervision of yoga teacher. No significant difference was observed in demographic data of the participants. Spatial and verbal memory scores before intervention (baseline values), are not significantly different between control and intervention groups. Significant improvement in both spatial and verbal memory was observed in intervention group when compared to control group. Our study further supports the beneficial effect of OM chanting on memory. We recommend adopting OM chanting in routine day life style for a better cognition and quality of life.