An Integrated Psychoneuroimmunology Model of Yoga-Naturopathy for Workplace Stress: A Theoretical Framework and Research Agenda for Sedentary Service Sectors

Abstract

Sedentary service-sector work (banking, finance, information technology, public administration) is marked by sustained cognitive load, time pressure, and screen-mediated demands that can produce chronic stress with downstream autonomic imbalance, sleep disruption, and low-grade inflammation. Workplace yoga programs show promise for reducing perceived stress; however, mechanistically explicit models that also integrate feasible naturopathy elements are uncommon. This paper proposes an Integrated Yoga-Naturopathy Psychoneuroimmunology (IYN-PNI) framework for workplace stress. A theory-building narrative synthesis was conducted across psychoneuroimmunology, autonomic physiology, respiration science, chronobiology, and complementary lifestyle interventions. The model posits that yoga components (asana, slow-paced breathing, and meditation) primarily operate through vagal engagement and improved heart rate variability (HRV), reduced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity, and strengthened attentional control. Adjunct naturopathy components that can be implemented in routine work life (meal-timing strategies such as time-restricted eating, basic hydrotherapy such as warm footbaths, and morning daylight exposure) are positioned as modulators of metabolic-inflammation pathways, thermoregulatory relaxation, and circadian alignment, respectively. The framework specifies measurable mediators, moderators, and testable hypotheses suitable for pragmatic workplace trials, including dismantling and optimization designs. A tiered dose-sequence logic is presented to support scalable implementation in organizations with minimal disruption to operations.