Yoga for depression

If you’ve ever practiced yoga, you probably know that it can help relax your body and mind. Now, new research shows that practicing yoga can also help reduce depression.

However, expert Lindsey Hopkins of the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center (USA) emphasized that this is only an initial conclusion, and only recommends using yoga as a complementary therapy to standard approaches to depression.

Hopkins conducted a study of 23 male veterans who participated in an eight-week hatha yoga course. Hatha yoga focuses on physical exercise along with meditation and breathing exercises.

Subjects who started the study with elevated levels of depression experienced a significant reduction in their symptoms after eight weeks.

A second study looked at the effects of Bikram yoga on 52 women aged 25-45. Those who attended classes twice a week for eight weeks had significantly reduced symptoms of depression compared to a control group who did not attend the course.

Another study in 29 adults found that eight weeks of bikram yoga, twice a week, not only significantly reduced depression, but also improved quality of life, increased optimism, and enhanced physical and mental functioning.

Several other studies have shown that yoga also has positive effects such as reducing depression, anxiety and stress.

The studies were presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in Washington. In a press release issued on the occasion, the association said the US military is considering the possibility of establishing yoga treatment programs to take advantage of the practice's ability to improve mental health.

According to Thanhnien