The results of a controlled study involving 156 7th graders with ages 13 and 14 years old results were published in 2010, September. In the study, the students learned and were told to practice qigong moving meditation during school. They were divided into two groups. One group was told to practice qigong for eight weeks twice a week for 25 minutes each day. The other group performed their everyday school activities. Before and after the study, all 156 students answered surveys to evaluate stress, self-image, psychological distress, and well-being at school. The group that practiced qigong showed less stress and psychological distress, and had better self-image than the control group. Also, all the students needed to answer an open question on whether practicing qigong practice affected them in any way. The answers were all positive in favor of qigong. They included statements like: “I feel more awake and alert” or “It gives you an opportunity to calm down” or “I work better after qigong” or “I am more focused.” (Terjestam 2010).
About 34 percent of the children weren’t interested in performing the exercises. For them, qigong exercises were boring. Either the school made it mandatory for these students to practice or it needed to encourage the students to participate in moving meditation or meditation exercise like yoga, tai chi, or qigong. The positive results of these exercises for students have been recorded in a number of past research work. A second grade elementary school study revealed that students who practiced qigong led to higher grades and better behavior (Witt 2005). One other study showed that aggression was significantly reduced in both elementary and high school students who practiced qigong. This exercise had an energizing and calming effect on the students (Witt 2007). Similar benefits were also seen when the students practiced Tai chi. Among adolescents, tai chi was seen to help improve conduct, anxiety, and hyperactivity, with fewer expressions of improper emotions (Reif-Hernandez, 2001).
In students, depression, stress responses, and anxiety are typical symptoms. Responses to stress such as abdominal pain, headaches, and sleeping problems are also fairly ordinary during adolescence. Any exercises that can calm students would be good to help them reduce stress. Qigong has been known to relieve headaches, improve sleep, and have a positive effect on health problems such as cardiovascular disease (Jahnke, 2010). These forms of moving meditation are especially helpful for students who are susceptible to the increasing stress of school.
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