Yoga is a common practice that has been used as a alternative therapy for depression and might improve mood in some people. Depression is a mood disorder characterized by sadness, hopelessness, diminished ability to enjoy daily activities and changes in sleep and appetite. According to Harvard Medical School, yoga works like other self-soothing techniques, such as meditation or exercise, to treat depression symptoms.
Background
Yoga originated in Indian culture. Its original form was meant to create self-awareness. Hatha yoga is the most common type of yoga practiced in the United States, according to Harvard Medical School. It combines three elements, including physical poses, or asanas, controlled breathing and a short period of deep relaxation or meditation. A 2004 national survey published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine found that 7.5 percent of respondents tried yoga at least once in their lifetime and 3.8 percent used yoga in the previous 12 months.
Effects
Yoga has been shown to improve mood and quality of life in some people, according to Harvard Medical School. Psychology Today states that hatha yoga, and especially pranayama, or breath control, have been shown to help alleviate depression. The magazine states that sudharshan kriya, a pranayama technique taught in the United States as "the healing breath technique," has been shown to have a 73 percent success rate for treating depression.
Components
Components of successful yoga interventions are difficult to ascertain because studies have used a variety of asanas or breathing exercises, found a 2005 review published by Karen Pilkington and colleagues in the Journal of Affective Disorders. Rhythmic breathing has been an important component of successful yoga interventions in at least four trials, states the review.
Mechanism
Hatha yoga might improve mood by moving energy through places in the body where blocked, negative feelings are stored, according to Stephen Cope, a psychotherapist and author of "Yoga and the Quest for the True Self." Instructor encouragement may also help build self-esteem. Harvard Medical School states that yoga appears to change the body's stress response, decreasing signs of physiological arousal. It might also help increase heart rate variability, suggesting an improved response to stress.
Considerations
Yoga is a low-risk activity, while many medications traditionally used to treat depression carry a high risk of side effects. People who practice yoga do have a chance of injury, especially the elderly or those with reduced mobility. Yoga should not be considered a replacement for medication and therapy, but accumulating evidence does show that it might be a beneficial adjunct to treatment.
References
- Psychology Today: Yoga: Not Just an Exercise
- Harvard Medical School: Yoga for Anxiety and Depression
- PubMed: Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine;" Prevalence and patterns of adult yoga use in the United States: Results of a National Survey
- "Journal of Affective Disorders;" Yoga for depression: the research evidence; Karen Pilkington et al.; Dec. 2005
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