Yoga exercises can help treat depression, especially with regular practice. Yoga may be able to help with depression, reduce anxiety and decrease or even eliminate the need for medication for some individuals. Using yoga as a complementary therapy for clinically diagnosed depression can lessen the severity of symptoms and help prevent relapses. Preliminary research results suggest that yoga provides relaxation and stress relief, by releasing beneficial chemicals in the brain that alter mood.
Breathing
A special type of breathing that stems from Yoga, called Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY), can help treat depression. The technique incorporates rapid rhythmic breathing, alternating with slow and medium breaths. A study at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in Bangalore, India looked at the benefits of SKY in depression management. The study concluded that Sudarshan Kriya Yoga "can be a potential alternative to drugs in melancholia as a first line treatment."
Laughter Yoga
Laughter yoga is an excellent practice for depression. Laughter yoga clubs are located throughout the US and Europe. Books, CDs and videos can help you learn the benefits of laughter yoga. The practice helps treat depression because it also incorporates breathing techniques. Cancer centers incorporate laughter yoga to improve quality of life for patients. Laughing through yoga practice helps release emotion and reduce anxiety and fear, aiding in the treatment of depression.
Yoga effect on the brain
Yoga has been shown to improve depression by releasing chemicals in the brain. Results of a study published May 2007 in the "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine" found that yoga elevates the body's levels of GABA, gamma-aminobutyric, chemicals that are also targeted by antidepressant medications. Study author Perry Renshaw, MD, PhD, director of the Brain Imaging Center at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital says, "The development of an inexpensive, widely available intervention such as yoga that has no side effects but is effective in alleviating the symptoms of disorders associated with low GABA levels has clear public health advantage." One hour following a yoga session, study participants were found to have a 27 percent increase in GABA levels, making yoga a potentially effective option for treating depression, especially combined with other therapies.
