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The Benefits of Yoga for People with Parkinsons

By Lynn Chapman, M.S., Information and Referral Coordinator - APDA

Joanne Brekke-Selk has been attending a yoga class for people with Parkinsons for the past two years. A former member of the House of Representatives in Washington State, she never thought that she'd get into doing yoga. In the past, she would seek out more competitive, extraverted activities. Today yoga is a big part of what makes her feel like she is almost normal. "I know it has made a difference in the quality of my life. It's wonderful and I would recommend it to anyone." Joanne is taking this special yoga class from Tim Seiwerath at Northwest Hospital. "Tim is so much a part of it. He doesn't press you to move into a particular position; and when we stretch Tim encourages us to stretch to the extent that we can. He accepts us wherever we are—the supportiveness of it is very important". She attributes her ease of movement and better posture to taking his classes. "Tim epitomizes the gentleness and acceptance of a yoga master. He accentuates the non-competitiveness of yoga", says Joanne. Yoga has also helped smooth out her normally competitive nature. Pete Beidler has had a Parkinson's diagnosis for 5 years. A former professor of English literature at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennyslvania, he found out he had Parkinsons the same week he retired. Pete and his wife Anne moved to Seattle two years ago and he started doing yoga with Tim 1 ½ years ago. His wife Anne was the one who found the class and encouraged him to go. Pete didn't know anything about yoga. He envisioned a guy in a turban with a flute calling a python out of a basket. The class turned out to be nothing like he envisioned.

He also sings the praises of Tim Seiwerath. Tim is a great teacher and if anyone should recognize a good teacher it's Pete. "He really cares about what he does, he cares about us and has a neat sense of humor", says Pete. Pete goes on to talk about what it's like for a newcomer. "At first a new member can't do very much . Tim's very patient with new students, explaining things and giving lots of positive reinforcement". Pete also mentioned that Tim is very safety conscious. The class is done almost entirely sitting in a chair or on the floor. When standing poses are done the chair is used as a support. "It's one of the best things I've ever done. Yoga keeps me more flexible", says Pete. He was having trouble putting his socks on in the morning but since he's been doing yoga, this has gotten much easier. Also the twists he does in yoga have helped tremendously with driving because he is able to turn and backup up the car more easily and merge into traffic. Tim was taking teacher training at Samadhi yoga when a nurse practitioner, Diana Herring e-mailed the yoga school to find someone to teach yoga to people with Parkinsons. Tim's only experience with Parkinson's was with a former friend with whom he traded rent for helping him at night. His friend was in serious denial about his disease and really didn't want the help. Tim saw him grow stiffer and stiffer and less able to do things for himself. This experience inspired him to want to make yoga accessible to everyone. When the call came for someone willing to teach yoga to Parkinsons people, Tim jumped on the opportunity. He credits Diana Herring with helping to develop his work and also the book Parkinson's Disease and the Art of Movement by John Argue. Tim uses Restorative Yoga, an approach that focuses on balance, stretching and breathing. Diana Herring agrees that the slow movements and breathing exercises of Restorative Yoga are well suited to Parkinson's patients. Tim's goal is to help his students experience greater physical and mental freedom. Tim has also seen great changes in his students. "On the physical level we've seen enormous changes in people's flexibility, strength, and balance. We've had people find more ease in breathing and sleep. As a result of doing yoga, day to day activities get easier." Other class participants have found that walking is easier, gardening, getting on and off of the floor, and resting on their back. Very few studies have been done to determine the benefits of yoga for people with Parkinsons. However, in 2002, a study conducted at the John F. Kennedy Institute in Denmark showed a 65 percent short-term increase in dopamine levels during Restorative Yoga and meditation in the test group. Today, there are researchers at the University of Virginia, Kansas University, and Stanford University testing the physical benefits of yoga in people with Parkinsons (Yoga Journal, http://www.yogajournal.com/health/2515) Tim is working closely with the group out of Stanford.

Pete and Joanne don't need a study to know how much yoga has helped them. And this is echoed by many others who now take the class at Northwest Hospital, Swedish Medical Center, and starting in the fall Group Health Cooperative. All three hospitals make the class more accessible to patients by subsidizing the cost. In addition, the Washington Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association helps subsidize the class at Swedish Medical Center. All classes cost only $5.

Other side benefits of taking yoga classes is the cameraderie that has developed among the participants.

"When I first started the class, everyone would arrive at 9:30am", mentioned Pete. "Now we all come around 9am just to talk. We've all become friends and we are like family". The group often gets together outside the class. Last year Pete and his wife Anne invited everyone from the yoga class to their home for a White Elephant exchange at Christmas time.

"If you try yoga, don't give up on it until you've gone 3 or 4 times", recommends Pete. He's that passionate about the benefits and the need to overcome that initial reticence of doing something new.

For more information about classes, please see the Dance & Yoga Classes link. If you live outside of the Seattle area, find a gentle yoga class at your local "Y", a local chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, or at another location that teaches yoga. Talk to the instructor ahead of time and explain your limitations and health issues. See if they are willing to adapt the class to your needs. Tim is also willing to consult with other instructors to help them make those adaptations for Parkinson's people.