Personality, cognitive styles and Morningness-Eveningness disposition in a sample of Yoga trainees

The relationship between Yoga, health and well-being is well established, and is object of research under many perspectives: researchers have explored psychological relevance of Yoga with regard to different cognitive parameters, related also to the activity of brain hemispheres, to physiological parameters, and personality traits. In particular, relationship with Morningness-Eveningness disposition and cognitive processes of learning and thinking have also been observed. Since it has been showed that Yoga practice can exert influences on cognitive processes related to Morningness–Eveningness disposition, we have posited that Morningness-Eveningness disposition might be associated also to cognitive processes of styles of learning in people practicing Yoga. Data have shown that the majority of the subjects, all Evening types, a high majority of Morning types, and of Intermediate types subjects have right styles of learning and thinking, suggesting that the right style is the prevalent style of learning and thinking in Yoga practitioners, independently from Morningness-Eveningness disposition. It can be suggested that Yoga practice can have a relevant influence on cognitive processing related to Mornigness-Eveningness diposition, since the cognitive propension of Morning subjects - who usually show left styles – can be shifted towards right processing in Yoga pracitioners. It is suggested that the practice of Yoga can develop models of processing information towards analogic, olistic, creative thinking and knowledge, contributing to general well-being towards a wider development of human physical and mental best effectiveness.