Finding peace in the heart of Alabama: how yoga can help heart patients stay sharp
Living with heart failure can feel like a daily battle—not just for your body, but for your mind. Many people with heart failure also experience mild cognitive impairment, which is a real condition characterized by problems with memory, language, and judgment. It’s not just “getting older”. It’s a real condition that can make managing your health even harder.
In Alabama, where nearly 43% of people live in rural areas, getting the support you need for both your heart and your mind can be a challenge. Clinics might be far away. Specialists are few and far between. And when you’re juggling medications, appointments, and everyday life, the stress can take a toll.
But what if there was a simple, calming way to help you feel more clear-headed, supported, and in control right from your living room?
A new kind of care: Yoga, online, and built for you
That’s the idea behind a new project led by Chin-Yen Lin, Ph.D., a nurse and assistant professor at Auburn University. Alongside a team of researchers and community members, Lin is exploring how online chair yoga can help people with heart failure improve their thinking skills and overall well-being.
This isn’t the yoga you might picture on a mat in a studio. It’s called Kundalini Chair Yoga—a gentle, seated practice that combines breathing, stretching, and simple movements. It’s designed especially for people who may not be able to do traditional exercise because of heart conditions.
Chin-Yen Lin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Auburn University
Try a Simple Kundalini Chair Yoga Exercise
Kundalini Chair Yoga is a gentle and accessible practice that can be done right from your chair. These exercises are designed to help improve your flexibility, reduce stress, and enhance your overall well-being.
Seated Neck Rolls
How to Do It:
- Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor.
- Place your hands on your knees.
- Inhale and gently drop your chin to your chest.
- Exhale as you slowly roll your head to the right, bringing your right ear toward your right shoulder.
- Inhale as you bring your head back to center.
- Exhale and roll your head to the left, bringing your left ear toward your left shoulder.
- Continue to roll your head in a slow, gentle motion, repeating 5-7 times in each direction.
Participants in the study take part in two 60-minute online classes each week for 12 weeks. They don’t have to travel, just log in from home. The study is testing how practical, helpful, and enjoyable this kind of yoga might be for people who often have limited access to in-person programs.
Real people, real voices, real care
This program is taking place in areas like Chambers County, where health resources can be hard to reach. But Lin didn’t design the program alone. She brought in local leaders, healthcare workers, caregivers, and people living with heart failure to help shape the entire study.
“We wanted to listen first,” Lin says. “We asked: What would make this work for you? What kind of support do you need to feel comfortable and capable?”
This approach makes the study a partnership that centers the needs and voices of the people it’s designed to serve.
We wanted to listen first. We asked: What would make this work for you? What kind of support do you need to feel comfortable and capable?
What the study is exploring
The research team is gathering feedback and health data throughout the project to understand how chair yoga might support thinking, memory, and emotional health. They’ll use that information to improve the program and, if successful, expand it to help more people across the region.
The project is still in its early phases, but the vision is clear: to create a low-cost, practical way for people living with heart failure to strengthen both body and mind—especially in areas where health services are harder to reach.
Simple Habits to Ease Stress
- Take five deep breaths. It can calm your body and clear your mind.
- Try chair stretches. Moving gently while seated can ease tension.
- Write it down. A short list or journal entry can help organize your thoughts and reduce overwhelm.
- Talk it out. Call a friend, join a group, or share how you’re feeling with someone you trust.
Want to learn more or share with someone you care about?
To read more about Lin’s yoga and heart health study, visit this page. You’ll find details about the study, how it’s being designed with local input, and ways it’s aiming to support thinking and memory for people living with heart failure.
