1. Home
  2. Vol 5, No 2 (2026)
  3. Thilakarathna

Super Brain Yoga in Physical Education and Sports Science: A Review with Bibliometric Analysis of Mental Health, Cognitive Function, and Physical Performance

A. G. B. R. I. Thilakarathna(1), S. Joniton(2), Sivaraj Nimishan(3),


(1) Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
(2) Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
(3) Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
Corresponding Author

Abstract


This study maps the development of Super Brain Yoga research within physical education and sports science. A bibliometric review of 284 peer-reviewed publications published between 2012 and 2025 examined publication growth, geographical distribution, study designs, participant groups, intervention protocols, cognitive outcomes, mental health effects, and physical-performance applications. The reviewed studies involved 9,847 participants and showed strong growth after 2019. Randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies dominated the evidence base. Frequently examined outcomes included memory, concentration, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, balance, endurance, and neurobiological markers. Super Brain Yoga was typically performed for 5-10 minutes with minimal equipment and high adherence. The findings support its potential as an accessible mind-body exercise for physical education, sports training, rehabilitation, and community health programs globally.

Keywords


Bibliometric analysis; Cognitive function; Mental health; Physical education; Super Brain Yoga.

References


Pascoe, M. C., Bauer, I. E. (2015). A systematic review of randomised control trials on the effects of yoga on stress measures and mood. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 68, 270-282.

Pascoe, M. C., Thompson, D. R., and Ski, C. F. (2017). Yoga, mindfulness-based stress reduction and stress-related physiological measures: A meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 86, 152-168.

Martínez-Calderon, J., Casuso-Holgado, M. J., Muñoz-Fernandez, M. J., Garcia-Muñoz, C., and Heredia-Rizo, A. M. (2023). Yoga-based interventions may reduce anxiety symptoms in anxiety disorders and depression symptoms in depressive disorders: A systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(22), 1442-1449.

Gard, T., Noggle, J. J., Park, C. L., Vago, D. R., and Wilson, A. (2014). Potential self-regulatory mechanisms of yoga for psychological health. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 770.

Streeter, C. C., Gerbarg, P. L., Saper, R. B., Ciraulo, D. A., and Brown, R. P. (2012). Effects of yoga on the autonomic nervous system, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and allostasis in epilepsy, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Medical Hypotheses, 78(5), 571-579.

Sonawane, M. A., Lee, A. K., Gaikwad, S., Almeida, G. J., Darby, N. T., Calderon, T., Ramirez, A. G., Hughes, D. C., and Patel, D. I. (2025). Therapeutic yoga enhances neuroplasticity and metabolic regulation through elevated plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor and ghrelin in a heterogeneous cancer survivor population. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 24, 15347354251385573.

Chaya, M. S., Nagendra, H., Selvam, S., Kurpad, A., and Srinivasan, K. (2012). Effect of yoga on cognitive abilities in schoolchildren from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background: A randomized controlled study. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 18(12), 1161-1167.

Babakhani, M., Rahzani, K., Hekmatpou, D., and Sheykh, V. (2024). The effect of Super Brain Yoga on the cognitive function of haemodialysis patients. Heliyon, 10(16), e36384.

Sudhan, P., and Parveen, S. J. (2024). The effects of Thoppukaranam (Super Brain Yoga) on stress management and psychological health among university students: A 12-week intervention study. Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental, 18(9), e07624.

Panagar, T., and Kaur, D. (2024). Effect of Super Brain Yoga on sustained attention among adolescents. Indian Journal of Yoga Exercise and Sport Science and Physical Education, 9(2), 1-7.

Ziaei, S. H., Sohrabi, M., and Taheri, H. (2026). Comparison of the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and super brain yoga on balance and balance confidence in inactive elderly individuals. Zahedan Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 28(28), e166115.

Farahani, P. V., Ozturk, C., and Carew, A. (2024). The effect of super brain yoga on concentration, memory, and academic progress in nursing students: A quasi-experimental study. International Journal of Community Based Nursing and Midwifery, 12(4), 218-227.

Aria, M., and Cuccurullo, C. (2017). Bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 11(4), 959-975.

Donthu, N., Kumar, S., Mukherjee, D., Pandey, N., and Lim, W. M. (2021). How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 133, 285-296.

Von Elm, E., Altman, D. G., Egger, M., Pocock, S. J., Gøtzsche, P. C., and Vandenbroucke, J. P. (2007). The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: Guidelines for reporting observational studies. The Lancet, 370(9596), 1453-1457.

Jadad, A. R., Moore, R. A., Carroll, D., Jenkinson, C., Reynolds, D. J. M., Gavaghan, D. J., and McQuay, H. J. (1996). Assessing the quality of reports of randomized clinical trials: Is blinding necessary? Controlled Clinical Trials, 17(1), 1-12.

Hölzel, B. K., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S. M., Gard, T., and Lazar, S. W. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 191(1), 36-43.

Thayer, J. F., Åhs, F., Fredrikson, M., Sollers, J. J., and Wager, T. D. (2012). A meta-analysis of heart rate variability and neuroimaging studies: Implications for heart rate variability as a marker of stress and health. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 36(2), 747-756.

Raut, S., and Barde, S. (2023). A study to assess the effectiveness of Super Brain Yoga on attention and concentration among teenage schoolchildren. International Journal of Scientific Research, 12(12), 54-55.

Martin, B., Peck, B., Ryan, L., Davies, A., and Terry, D. (2025). Supporting mental health and physical well-being among nursing students through yoga: A mixed-methods study. Nursing Reports, 15(8), 305.

Killick, L., Hokanson, A., Lewis, Z. H., and Foster, E. (2023). The efficacy of yoga interventions for children with autism: A systematic review. Journal of Yoga and Physiotherapy, 10(3), 555786.

Fan, Z., Zhang, Y., Shu, Y., Zhou, Y., and Zuo, Z. (2025). Mind-body therapies for sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety in menopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1686981.


Full Text: PDF PDF

Article Metrics

Abstract View : 25 times
PDF Download : 3 times PDF Download : 0 times

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Yayasan Bumi Publikasi Nusantara

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.