EFFECT OF A YOGIC RELAXATION TECHNIQUE ON POST TRAINING FATIGUE AMONG POLICE TRAINEES: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY

Abstract

BACKGROUND Police officers often perform physically demanding tasks, such as chasing suspects, pushing cars, and climbing obstacles. To ensure their safety and effectiveness, new officers undergo rigorous training, facing psychological stressors, academic stress, sleep deprivation, and environmental factors. Exercise-induced fatigue (EIF) is a common issue in police trainees, resulting from prolonged endurance and excessive exercise. This condition is caused by energy depletion, harmful metabolite accumulation, oxidative stress, and inflammation. It can lead to a decrease in spontaneous activities and muscle performance, affecting the quality of life of those involved in physical work. EIF is associated with a heightened risk of overwork related illness, chronic fatigue syndrome, overtraining, hormonal irregularities, and immune impairment, all of which endanger human health. High intensity exercise can increase cortisol and testosterone levels, but if not adjusted to the body's biological capabilities, overtraining syndrome may develop. Cyclic meditation (CM) is designed as a mind body technique, combining yoga based postures and guided meditation to reduce exercise-induced fatigue. Its purpose is to cultivate a calm state of mind, aligning with the concept of meditation as effortless expansion (dhyana). Research has shown that CM reduces autonomic arousal, enhances attention, and improves sleep quality, making it potentially beneficial for combating exercise-induced fatigue. It also lowers oxygen consumption and energy expenditure, decreases stress levels, and enhances cognitive function. CM promotes relaxation and improves sleep by increasing slow wave sleep percentage. This study set out to determine the effects of practicing cyclic meditation on exercise-induced fatigue in police trainees and provide evidence based recommendations for effective fatigue management strategies. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To identify the effects of cyclic meditation (CM) on Exercise-induced fatigue (EIF) among law enforcement trainees. METHODS Participants Design The study recruited forty-eight law enforcement trainees (age 28.1 ± 4.4 y, height 1.7± 0.06 m, and mass 63.9 ± 8.5 kg) from the Kerala Police Academy (Thrissur, Kerala, India) who were randomly assigned into two equal groups. Methodology The intervention group (n=24) practiced 30 minutes of CM after morning physical training session for 30 days, while the control group (n=24) rested in supine. Testosterone, cortisol, and Testosterone-Cortisol ratio (T:C) were assessed for 20 participants in each group on days 1 and 31 after the physical training session. On days 1, 15, and 31 following the physical training, fatigue ratings, based on the Counter Movement Jump (CMJ) and Rating of Fatigue (ROF) questionnaire, were collected from all the participants. Assessments: Salivary testosterone and cortisol were analyzed using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), countermovement jump performance (height and flight time) was assessed via the My Jump application, and fatigue perception was evaluated using the Rating of Fatigue (ROF) scale. Intervention: The intervention group practiced Cyclic Meditation (CM), a type of moving meditation, which combines the practice of yoga postures with guided meditation for 30 days (6 days a week), while the control group rested in supine. Results: Results indicated that the intervention group improved significantly in CMJ height, CMJ flight time, and ROF (p < 0.05), whereas the control group showed no significant changes in these variables. In contrast, the control group exhibited significant hormonal disturbances, including decreased testosterone and T:C ratio (p < 0.05) and elevated cortisol (p < 0.05), which were not observed in the intervention group.