Yoga in Treating Sleep Disturbance in Cancer Survivors

Cancer survivors assigned to this condition continued with the standard follow-up care provided by their treating oncologists as appropriate for individual diagnoses. Participants in the control condition were offered the 4-week YOCAS program gratis after completing all study requirements.

The Yoga for Cancer Survivors (YOCAS) intervention uses two forms of yoga: Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga. The YOCAS sessions are standardized, and each session includes physical alignment postures, breathing and mindfulness exercises. The intervention is delivered in an instructor taught, group format, twice a week for 75 minutes each time over 4 weeks for a total of eight sessions of yoga. All sessions were taught in community-based sites (eg. yoga studios, community centers, community oncology practices) with an average group size of 12 (range, 10-15) in the late afternoon or evening after 4pm.