Yogic Practices With Yoga Nidra Versus Yogic Practices Alone for Ocular Health in Smartphone-Addicted College Students: A Single-Blind Randomised Controlled Trial
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12800/ccd.v21i68.2625Keywords:
Yoga, Relaxations, Phone Ad-diction, StudentsAbstract
Smartphone addiction among college students is associated with digital eye strain and adverse ocular physiological changes, yet evidence-based interventions remain limited. We aimed to evaluate whether yogic practices combined with yoga nidra provide superior benefits compared with yogic practices alone for improving ocular health in smartphone-addicted college students. We conducted a single-blind, randomised controlled trial between June and October 2024. College students aged 18-25 years with smartphone addiction (Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version score ≥31 for males, ≥33 for females) were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either yogic practices plus yoga nidra (YP+YN; 90 minutes per session) or yogic practices alone (YP; 60 minutes per session), delivered three times weekly for 16 weeks. The primary outcome was visual acuity measured using the Snellen chart. Secondary outcomes included near-point of convergence, accommodative facility, tear film break-up time, intraocular pressure, digital eye strain symptoms, and computer vision syndrome scores. Outcome assessors were masked to group allocation. Of 156 students assessed for eligibility, 120 were randomised to YP+YN (n=60) or YP (n=60). The overall retention rate was 86.7% (104 of 120 participants). Both groups showed significant improvements in visual acuity, but the YP+YN group demonstrated greater improvement (mean difference 0.10 [95% CI 0.07-0.13] vs 0.05 [0.03-0.07]; between-group difference p=.031). All secondary physiological outcomes favoured the YP+YN group, including near-point of convergence (between-group difference p=.007), accommodative facility (p=.012), tear film break-up time (p=.023), intraocular pressure (p=.036), digital eye strain score (p<.001), and computer vision syndrome score (p=.003). No serious adverse events occurred. Yogic practices combined with yoga nidra provide superior benefits compared whith yogic practices alone for improving ocular health in smartphone-addicted college students. These findings support the integration of comprehensive yogic interventions into preventive healthcare programmes targeting technology-related health problems.
References
A, V., M, P., K, M., & T, V. (2018). Effect of yoga nidra on resting cardiovascular parameters in polycystic ovarian syndrome women. National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 8(9), 1505. https://doi.org/10.5455/njppp.2018.8.0411112082018
Abirami, M., Venugopal, V., Sangavi, S. A., Lakshmi, K. S., Baskaran, K., & Maheshkumar, K. (2024). Immediate effect of Bhastrika Pranayama on cerebral hemodynamics in patient with depression: A case report. Brain Behavior and Immunity Integrative, 6, 100056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbii.2024.100056
Adler, P., Scally, A. J., & Barrett, B. T. (2018). Test-retest reproducibility of accommodative facility measures in primary school children. Clinical & Experimental Optometry, 101(6), 764–770. https://doi.org/10.1111/cxo.12691
Antemie, R.-G., Samoilă, O. C., & Clichici, S. V. (2023). Blue Light-Ocular and Systemic Damaging Effects: A Narrative Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(6), 5998. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065998
Archana, R., Maheshkumar, K., & Selvi, G. T. (2024). Impact of Yoga and Meditation on Immune System – A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. South Eastern European Journal of Public Health, 2454–2463. https://doi.org/10.70135/seejph.vi.2431
Barata, M. J., Aguiar, P., Grzybowski, A., Lança, C., & Moreira-Rosário, A. (2025). Validation of Binocular Vision and Ocular Surface Assessment Tools in Digital Eye Strain Syndrome: The DESIROUS Study. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 15(5), 168. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm15050168
Boopalan, D., Prabu Kumar, A., Vanamoorthy, M. K., Vijayakumar, V., Ravi, P., Kasi, M., & Kuppusamy, M. (2025). Yoga therapy for eye health and disease: A scoping review. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 73, 102427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2024.102427
Bradford, C. A., & Melson, A. T. (2021). Ocular Complaints, Disease, and Emergencies in the General Medical Setting. The Medical Clinics of North America, 105(3), 409–423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcna.2021.02.002
Deshmukh, V. D. (2023). The Electroencephalographic Brainwave Spectrum, Mindful Meditation, and Awareness: Hypothesis. International Journal of Yoga, 16(1), 42–48. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijoy.ijoy_34_23
Gonmei, L., Swathi Kv, Archana P, & Vanitha S Shetty. (2025). Effect of Yoga Nidra on Women’s Health: A Narrative Review. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences, 10(2), 273–279. https://doi.org/10.21760/jaims.10.2.38
Gupta, S. K., & Aparna, S. (2020). Effect of Yoga Ocular Exercises on Eye Fatigue. International Journal of Yoga, 13(1), 76–79. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_26_19
Kaur, K., Gurnani, B., Nayak, S., Deori, N., Kaur, S., Jethani, J., Singh, D., Agarkar, S., Hussaindeen, J. R., Sukhija, J., & Mishra, D. (2022). Digital Eye Strain- A Comprehensive Review. Ophthalmology and Therapy, 11(5), 1655–1680. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40123-022-00540-9
Kim, J. H., & Caprioli, J. (2018). Intraocular Pressure Fluctuation: Is It Important? Journal of Ophthalmic & Vision Research, 13(2), 170–174. https://doi.org/10.4103/jovr.jovr_35_18
Kniestedt, C., & Stamper, R. L. (2003). Visual acuity and its measurement. Ophthalmology Clinics of North America, 16(2), 155–170, v. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0896-1549(03)00013-0
K.S., D., K., M., Silambanan, S., Kantipudi, S. J., Sathianathan, R., & R., P. (2023). Development and Validation of Yoga Protocol for Patients with Depression. Annals of Neurosciences, 30(2), 96–99. https://doi.org/10.1177/09727531221127766
Maples, W. C., & Hoenes, R. (2007). Near point of convergence norms measured in elementary school children. Optometry and Vision Science: Official Publication of the American Academy of Optometry, 84(3), 224–228. https://doi.org/10.1097/OPX.0b013e3180339f44
Mataftsi, A., Seliniotaki, A. K., Moutzouri, S., Prousali, E., Darusman, K. R., Adio, A. O., Haidich, A.-B., & Nischal, K. K. (2023). Digital eye strain in young screen users: A systematic review. Preventive Medicine, 170, 107493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107493
Moszeik, E. N., Von Oertzen, T., & Renner, K.-H. (2022). Effectiveness of a short Yoga Nidra meditation on stress, sleep, and well-being in a large and diverse sample. Current Psychology, 41(8), 5272–5286. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01042-2
Nawaz, S. (2023). Rethinking classifications and metrics for problematic smartphone use and dependence: Addressing the call for reassessment. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 12, 100327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2023.100327
Nichols, J. J., Nichols, K. K., Puent, B., Saracino, M., & Mitchell, G. L. (2002). Evaluation of tear film interference patterns and measures of tear break-up time. Optometry and Vision Science: Official Publication of the American Academy of Optometry, 79(6), 363–369. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006324-200206000-00009
Olson, J. A., Sandra, D. A., Colucci, É. S., Bikaii, A. A., Nahas, J., Chmoulevitch, D., Raz, A., & Veissière, S. P. L. (2020). Smartphone addiction is increasing across the world: A meta-analysis of 24 countries. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/fsn6v
Olson, J. A., Sandra, D. A., Veissière, S. P. L., & Langer, E. J. (2025). Sex, Age, and Smartphone Addiction Across 41 Countries. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 23(2), 937–945. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-023-01146-3
Ou-Yang, Q., Liu, Q., Song, P.-Y., Wang, J.-W., & Yang, S. (2023). The association between academic achievement, psychological distress, and smartphone addiction: A cross-sectional study among medical students. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 28(5), 1201–1214. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2022.2148697
Pal, S., Sharma, S. K., Singhal, A., & Telles, S. (2022). Smartphone Excessive Use, Sleep, and Beliefs about Well-being in University Students who Practice Yoga Compared with Those with No Experience of Yoga. Indian Journal of Community Medicine: Official Publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine, 47(2), 292–295. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijcm.ijcm_601_21
Pera, A. (2020). The Psychology of Addictive Smartphone Behavior in Young Adults: Problematic Use, Social Anxiety, and Depressive Stress. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.573473
Prashanth, S., Nalini, V., Maheshkumar, K., Thanalakshmi, J., & Priyanka, S. (2024). Effects of yoga on sleep quality among the geriatric population: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Behavior and Immunity Integrative, 6, 100058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbii.2024.100058
Putchavayala, C. K., Singh, D., & Sashidharan, R. K. (2022). A perspective of yoga on smartphone addiction: A narrative review. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 11(6), 2284–2291. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1765_21
R, P., Kumar, A. P., Dhamodhini K S, null, Venugopal, V., Silambanan, S., K, M., & Shah, P. (2023). Role of yoga in stress management and implications in major depression disorder. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 14(5), 100767. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaim.2023.100767
Ragavee, S., Prashanth, S., Priyanka, S., & Maheshkumar, K. (2024). Immediate effect of Yoga Nidra (a yogic relaxation) on cardio-autonomic function in hypertensive patients: A case report. Journal of Indian System of Medicine, 12(4), 188–191. https://doi.org/10.4103/jism.jism_44_24
Ravi, P., Boopalan, D., Manickam, A., Vijayakumar, V., & Kuppusamy, M. (2024). Yoga Nidra as an Adjunctive Therapy in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension: A Case Study. Integrative and Complementary Therapies, 30(4), 166–169. https://doi.org/10.1089/ict.2024.72904.mk
S., P., V., N., S., P., J., T., V., S., A., A., & K., M. (2024). Effect of mind sound resonance technique on physiological and psychological parameters among geriatric population: A structured study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Clinical Trials, 11(3), 224–230. https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3259.ijct20242005
Seguí, M. del M., Cabrero-García, J., Crespo, A., Verdú, J., & Ronda, E. (2015). A reliable and valid questionnaire was developed to measure computer vision syndrome at the workplace. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 68(6), 662–673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2015.01.015
Sheppard, A. L., & Wolffsohn, J. S. (2018). Digital eye strain: Prevalence, measurement and amelioration. BMJ Open Ophthalmology, 3(1), e000146. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjophth-2018-000146
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Creative Commons Attribution License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The authors who publish in this journal agree with the following terms:
- The authors retain the copyright and guarantee the journal the right to be the first publication of the work as well as licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with recognition of the authorship of the work and the initial publication in this journal.
