Yoga Poses To Relieve Depression

While everyone has bad days or periods of feeling sad, depression is a diagnosable medical condition in which you have persistent feelings of sadness, loss of pleasure and a lowered quality of life. Those suffering from depression may suffer from low energy, experience sleep disturbances, feel worthless, lose weight or contemplate suicide, explains Medline Plus. While depression is serious and should be addressed by a health practitioner, the ancient practice of yoga shows promise as a potential alternative or complementary therapy for those suffering from depression.

Significance

Yoga is a mind-body practice that consists of a series of postures, or asanas, breathing techniques, meditation and exploration of self-awareness. Dozens of "styles" of yoga exist, from the very vigorous to calm, restorative types. Each style may focus on different poses that can help with depression, and your choice of type of practice may depend on your depression symptoms, physical fitness level and personal preference.

Potential

Regardless of your choice, yoga poses for depression intend to calm down your mind, reintroduce you to your purpose in life and connect you with a sense of calmness, says "Yoga Journal" magazine's medical editor Timothy McCall. Yoga poses can help reduce your perception of stress and anxiety. Yoga can also affect physiological stressors related to depression, reports the April 2009 issue of the "Harvard Mental Health Letter." Yoga poses can assist in moderating and equalizing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure and calming breathing.

Specific Poses

Whether your depression manifests as feelings of lethargy and hopelessness or an acute sensation of anxiety and desperation, an active practice involving sun salutations, arm balances and other very challenging poses can invigorate the body or help you get rid of excess energy. A vigorous practice flows with your breath, giving you the ability to focus on something other than your feelings of misery. Backbends like bridge pose, upward bow--or wheel--and camel pose may also be therapeutic for depression sufferers. Relaxation in savasana, or corpse pose, may be difficult for depressive patients and may not be advised, says Timothy McCall.

Scientific Evidence

While evidence is inconclusive, researchers do acknowledge the potential for yoga poses as a prescription for clinical depression. In the "Journal of Psychiatric Practice" in January 2010, Brown University experts note that current methods of depression treatment prove insufficient for many patients and yoga may offer a complement to these therapies, as it offers biological, psychological and behavioral strategies which could impact depression symptoms. A study in the journal "Evidence-based Alternative and Complimentary Medicine" from December 2007 evaluated the effects of yoga on 17 people diagnosed with major depression who were in "partial" remission. These subjects participated in 20 Iyengar yoga classes, and researchers noted significant reductions in symptoms of depression, anger, anxiety and neurotic symptoms in all participants. Eleven of the participants left the study in complete remission, leading researchers to conclude that yoga shows promise as an alternative therapy for depression patients.

Misconceptions

While some yoga gurus may shun all aspects of modern medicine, many yoga practitioners look at yoga poses as one element that may help in the treatment of depression. McCall notes that medications can save lives and may be the most viable treatment for some people. You should consult your doctor regarding all aspects of your therapy and inform him of your intention to try yoga as a treatment.